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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26835319">Lost In Transmigration</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/UsagiSquared/pseuds/UsagiSquared'>UsagiSquared</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>BARIAN ROAD TRIP BABY, Female Kaninja, Other, Other Character Tags TBA Accordingly, TransYuuma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:07:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>90</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>119,286</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26835319</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/UsagiSquared/pseuds/UsagiSquared</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ka thinks she's found the perfect work around to this nonsense- who needs to duel, when you can rig a portal and mug someone in transit?</p><p>Days later and Ka Ninja is wondering if being dead would be easier than accidentally uncovering a dimension-wide conspiracy while hunting down the Barian Lords.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Something was wrong with the portal.</p><p>"HRAAAAAAAAA-AAGH!"</p><p>They didn't realize it to start of course. No- for all their waiting in paranoia, for all the stressful stares as the loading bar ticked its way upward, nothing occurred in that cold, dark lot. The sphere transporter's hum became so loud, so otherworldly, that Yuuma couldn't have heard a thing even if the others shouted.</p><p>To their ears, on both sides, it was certain that the meaning of their words would have reached the other's heart however.</p><p>But something was wrong- that much was clear as light streaked through and tore through space. If one were to have described the Astral world, Yuuma would have expected 'blue'. Blue, calming blue, like the skin of the spirit from the key.</p><p>This was red. Dark, consuming, and in the distance could be heard laughter.</p><p>"kakakakaka..."</p><p>Laughter, resonant laughter, growing louder...louder...</p><p>"KAKAKAKAKAKAAA! SURPRISE, -KA!"</p><p>Struck from all sides it hit- like a bug, but larger, far larger Yuuma wanted to think. And amid the screaming there was a fight- amid the swarm of insects cutting at skin and cloth, a frantic scramble for the cards and deck holders on the belt.</p><p>It was not enough. "NO! YOU-! HRAAAAKH-! LET ME-"</p><p>"KA!?"</p><p>Idly, Yuuma thought something was missing from the belt but it didn't matter. What mattered was the fall. The fall through red, dark, and more. The fall that tore through space, reality...</p><p>Yuuma awoke, and the red had not yet gone.</p><p>So then where was this? They-</p><p>She-</p><p>She could feel soft sand beneath her skin, smooth enough to be marble, even as it sat against the cuts over her arms. It was stone that melted to her touch it felt, conforming to her weight as she moved. Yet there was not the white of marble and sand, nor the blue of sky and water, but instead red.</p><p>Deep, rusty, red.</p><p>She had been trying to get to the Astral world.</p><p>But in the time it took to stand, it was clear that was not where she was. It was red as far as any could see- the sea, frothing with foam of pinkish hue as it steamed against the shore. The sun, a black hole of light surrounded by magenta and gold in the clouds. The longer she stared the longer it was clear the clouds were not even truly moving.</p><p>This was not the Astral World. But then...</p><p>"...It can't...is this...Barian?" she asked aloud, her voice rough and hoarse. She remembered the crash. The attack. The- "AH-! The numbers-!" Yuuma shouted, hurriedly going for the belt of her pants only to choke. Her deck, was there. Even her gazer and d-pad were still there.</p><p>But the box where she stored her numbers for the extra deck... "N...no..! This is-"</p><p>The numbers were gone.</p><p>This was not the Astral world.</p><p>Yuuma fell to her knees, clutching at the sand and heaving as she struggled to recover from the shock. But there was no one there to tell her to stand. Nor any there to make her move. And ultimately, in the same way, there was nothing there to lament for much longer.</p><p>She stood, eventually even moving to walk, and the more she moved the more she saw. Turning away from the shore to see great crystalline structures, a forest of glistening thorns covering buildings long lost to time. They could have been as old as the ruins she'd explored so recently she thought to herself, perhaps even older still- ruins that it seemed no man could have ever created.</p><p>The air stung against her wounds, and she held her bare arms close. She'd been ambushed then, evidently. Ambushed, stolen from...</p><p>Yuuma swallowed thickly, unable to hold back the tears as she walked through the maze of thorn and crystal. They were impossible structures- spiralling and shining in the dull red light, a hazy quartz against cloth. Long forgotten, long left behind- and yet...</p><p>"...T...that mark..."</p><p>And yet there it was, carved into the stone. There it was, in one wall, and another, and another-</p><p>There it was, the proud crest of Barian, overgrown and covered in crystal, abandoned in the same way it felt everything here was.</p><p>This was indeed, Barian.</p><p>The question now then, was how she would get out of here now.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>"Hey Usagi, you gonna update your other fanfics?" Uhhhhhhhhhh...I'll get back to you on that.</p><p>As it is, I've been rewatching Zexal (Y'all we had it so much better than we ever thought during the air-time, I'm just sayin'), and as people following Prelude no doubt noticed, got bitten with a bit of inspiration to carry things on. And. Also to start things fresh.</p><p>Some people might notice similarities between the first entry and something I've posted on Tumblr- and they should! Because it's directly influenced by it! Ultimately, I really wanted to write and work with the Barian world and Fem-Yuuma in a way that wasn't associated with certain material I wrote when I was younger/failed to understand certain concepts with enough care. Talking to others watching the series, and the idea ultimately grew into what you see here, as not only an adventure through the Barian World, but also something of a more personal journey for Yuuma, with the context of being a closeted trans-girl. Things are hard when you're younger- confusing! Rough!</p><p>Wandering through Alien Hell doesn't much help.</p><p>With that all said, I hope you all enjoy the series! I'll be trying to update this one with a bit more dedication, on that note.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There were certain rules to eating in the wild. Certain myths, that one had to avoid. Things like how moss grew on all sides of the tree, or 'a lean-to is the best shelter'. The latter at least, she knew wasn't the case. 'Always make sure you have something on the ground first,' her dad had said. 'You need to keep heat from escaping that way too!'</p><p>Shelter and water. Those were the important things about survival in the wild. Water, she was hoping would be found soon. She wasn't thirsty yet, but she obviously couldn't drink from the ocean- so she kept walking inland for now, trying vainly to look for signs of what would grow with water. Shelter seemed...well, easy actually. There were buildings to start- to start, being the key word, but now it was simply numerous crystals that seemed to radiate a heat as they grew into a forest. She was fairly certain that, among all the stones and spirals here, she could simply curl up beneath one and be fine for a night.</p><p>'If an animal eats something, it's safe to eat.' That was another myth, but Yuuma found herself growing more and more anxious in coming days- and she was certain days must have passed, with how much time she'd spent walking or napping for rest- as it occurred to her that she hadn't even <em>seen</em> an animal. There was nothing. Nothing but the stones, the ground, the sky.</p><p>Nothing but-</p><p>"Ah..! F...Food..!"</p><p>Berries.</p><p>They were curious things- growing directly off the wall, small orbs that seemed to practically drip with juice. Cautiously she poked at them, the berries moving just slightly under the touch as she confirmed they weren't 'rock'. With further caution, she slowly pulled one off- a few droplets meeting the ground as she held it in her hand.</p><p>It was about the size of a riceball, she noted. Exactly the right size, something that brought some tears to her eyes before she nervously nibbled at the edge of it.</p><p>"Mnh...it's sweet..."</p><p>Sweet. Perhaps she'd expected bitterness- or sourness, even. Perhaps something that would tell her 'this isn't a good idea to eat' in fact, but instead with a more courageous bite, juices dripping at the sides of her lips, she found it to even be pleasant. Another bite came, the flesh of the fruit pale and rosy against the otherwise near black shining skin, like an oversized plum- there was even a pit at the center, about the size of a golfball perhaps, and as she ate around it she licked her fingers clean before dropping the pit and grabbing another fruit.</p><p>They were juicy- and, it seemed, filled with a vital energy that now meant she could keep going. After having her fill from a second fruit, she carefully took as many as she could possibly carry, removing her vest to hold them in a makeshift sack and carry on. She couldn't risk running out, after all. Not if she wanted to survive.</p><p>Not if she wanted to make it out of here.</p><p>"Hmm!" With a determined nod, she thus pressed onward. If Astral could wait for her...if the others could wait for her...</p><p>She would make it, mark her words.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>How many days had it been now?</p>
<p>Her gait was slow, shuffling even, where she had walked with such purpose. The sun, ever beating, ever unchanging, was dull and yet burning.</p>
<p>Long had the spiked crystals of 'trees' and 'buildings' moved to tower above her- if there were dwellings she could not tell, if there were caves, they blended into the walls themselves.</p>
<p>Her last fruit was gone. There were no stains of juice to behold, as she'd sucked every droplet from her vest, licked her hands raw and clean and her face as well. The vest in question was now back over her shoulders, which slouched forward as she walked.</p>
<p>How many days...how many days? She tripped, scuffing her foot and falling over with a weakened grunt, fatigued arms pulling herself upward.</p>
<p>Kattobing...come on, she told herself, just kattobing...</p>
<p>Pull herself up. Walk farther, walk longer...fall over and choke, before repeating.</p>
<p>Until eventually...eventually...</p>
<p>K</p>
<p>Katto...</p>
<p>(In the distance, was that the same shadow she saw travelling? Or was it...)</p>
<p>"Y...you..."</p>
<p>"<em>What in..!</em>"</p>
<p>She closed her eyes, and did not wake until the sun was gone from her skin.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When she woke up, it was within a dark, violet hued chamber. The room was round- almost too round in fact, though she could faintly see what looked to be streaks of red and blue drifting through the smooth stone upon a set path. There was something soft overtop of her- a blanket, she was sure, and there was a pillow under her head. For a moment, she thought of simply sleeping more.</p>
<p>The moment passed however, as she realized she had done that already at least thrice over, and with a grunt she forced herself to sit up.</p>
<p>"W..where..."</p>
<p>The room, round as it was, was even more strangely furnished. As if grown from the rock itself, she could see simple things- a table, some sort of sink, some shelves...there was a set of doors at a few points within the sphere, one leading to what she suspected to be some sort of wash room (though her only hint to this was the tub-like thing there), and another perhaps leading outside.</p>
<p>At least, she thought it might be outside- it was quite a bit brighter out there after all, and-</p>
<p>"Ah- !"</p>
<p>The sound of footsteps and buzzing met her ears, and she hurriedly laid back down, blanket pulled over to feign sleep. The buzzing came closer- eyes held almost entirely shut Yuuma chanced a peek, choking on her breath when she saw the source.</p>
<p>The only way she could describe it was 'barian'- perhaps before she would have said 'buggy', 'monster', but after encountering Semimaru and all his cicada-traits, Barian was the only thing she could think of now. They were paler than Semimaru had been- gold and bronze, wings folded back behind their slouched form. Their eyes were filled with rings to the point they resembled goggles, and their mouth and nose was if anything nothing but a needle pointing downward- a proboscis for whatever thing they were. And yet...</p>
<p>"Mmmnn..? How strange, -n..." Yuuma held her breath, closing her eyes more properly as a clawed hand reached forward. "It seems to me like, this one's blood..."</p>
<p>The girl shot up, and the mosquito-being jumped back. "M-My blood!? You...you can't have anything like that!! Not at a-"</p>
<p>"Nnnn, so I was right...you are awake, -n..."</p>
<p>It was the sheer calmness of the barian, that had Yuuma so confused. "O...Oi, That doesn't mean you can-"</p>
<p>"I don't want anything like that from you -n... I was merely hoping you would be able to wake up soon..." The barian spoke slowly, as if half asleep- she drew out her sounds so much that Yuuma couldn't help but feel relaxed regardless, sitting more easily as she stared.</p>
<p>"That I'd wake up?" Yuuma questioned, blinking in confusion. "But then..." She looked around, taking everything in again. "Why did you...Is this your..."</p>
<p>The barian hummed, moving back to the other side of the room to stoke at some sparking rocks. What seemed almost like fire settled there, heating up a dish over the top. "This is my home, -n... 'Bun's home'," she insisted, Yuuma quietly thinking about how she'd been scared by someone who's name sounded like 'boo'. "While I went to see if my sister would find herself crawling back here in a state again -n, I found you instead. A pitiful appearance indeed...you look fresh from death, I could even say -n..."</p>
<p>"F-Fr...Fresh fr-" The girl sputtered, energy filling her as her emotions leaped. "I'm still alive..! I'm human, even!"</p>
<p>"-n....more fresh than I thought perhaps, with that attitude..." Bun replied, sympathy in her tone.</p>
<p>"No way! I'm telling you! I didn't die! I was supposed to take a portal to the Astral world, and ended up here instead..!"</p>
<p>That particular protest drew more response this time, Bun's goggle-like eyes widening just an inch. "...The Astral world..?" For a moment, she stared. "...Astral world...That's the name of the dimension seeking out destruction -n...wanting to go to Astral...hm, it's pointless, -n," she insisted, blinking even more when Yuuma carried on.</p>
<p>"It's not! I was going to get Astral back- so that we could finish finding the numbers, and...an..." As the girl hesitated, she huffed. "And isn't Barian trying to destroy the Astral world anyway..!? That's totally backwards!"</p>
<p>"Nmmm, you think so -n? They were the ones to start attacking us after all...it's a war of self-defense, at this point -n..."</p>
<p>"But...but that's..." Yuuma deflated, staring at the blanket and the floor as well. "But that's not..." Deflation only lasted so long, her fire renewed as she remembered the point. "Well either way! It's Barians who hurt my friends on earth! And I bet it's why I'm here instead now too!! I'll just get out of here, and get to Astral, and-"</p>
<p>As Yuuma moved to stand, she swayed- a calm clawed hand resting on her shoulder. For all that Yuuma shouted, Bun did not appear to react- instead, she helped her back to the bed, ignoring quiet protests. "You are undoubtedly, someone filled with chaos -n," the mosquito sighed, returning to what she was cooking. "So full with it, perhaps your words about being human are even true..."</p>
<p>"Of course they're true!" Yuuma retorted, only to blink as the mosquito looked back.</p>
<p>"...If they are true though, then that won't make this any better for you, -n... ...Humans... ...All of us were human once you know -n. When you pass on, you take the form that reflects you most. Some who are recently passed...they cling to who they were for a time instead. It's natural -n? To come here, part of you has to want to keep living as it is. An anger with where you were -n, or who you were, or what was happening..." Scooping what looked to be stew into a bowl, she turned to face Yuuma. "Mmnnn but that...that doesn't seem important for you after all. Instead, you're simply human. I wonder what could happen from that -n...I certainly can't see any way out..."</p>
<p>That, of course, drew further protest. "There is a way! I'll find a way..!"</p>
<p>"Well, whatever you say little one... ...Did you eat anything on the way here? When I found you, you were in poor health -n...it's only been about a day, but I was getting worried that I would have to feed you while you slept after all -n. And if you're truly human..."</p>
<p>Yuuma stared. If she was truly human? Maybe she was worried about her being unable to eat anything here. After all, she didn't even expect her to be human to begin with right? The girl stared, but ultimately nodded. "Y...yeah," she replied. "There were these berries...big fruits, this big," she gestured. "So- ah..."</p>
<p>The stew was handed to her immediately. "Nm...thought so -n...that's hardly something to survive off of after all," the barian chuckled, nodding slowly. "Eat up then -n....and perhaps...while you recover, maybe I can tell you a little about where you are now."</p>
<p>"More about..." Yuuma blinked, and blinked again. Slowly she took a spoonful of the stew, taking in the somewhat salty taste of the otherwise sparkling seeming foods. "I just want to get out of here," she mumbled, frowning at the food. "...I want to go home, and get to the Astral world and back home again..."</p>
<p>Bun was patient, watching as the girl fell into silence. She was lost after all- stranded in another world, another 'hell', and there ultimately wasn't going to be much to say to that was there? Slowly the stew disappeared until there was nothing more than a gentle clatter of spoon against bowl, Yuuma frowning at the empty dish.</p>
<p>"...All of the Barians I saw before...they didn't have any..." They didn't have mouths, she thought quietly. They were covered in stone, and gems, and- "...Why would a 'mosquito' be a reflection of you? Why wouldn't you just be human? Why..."</p>
<p>"Because humans are limited, -n... ...We are more than just our shells, -n. More than what we seem. Like I said -n. There are some who remain close to human shape, but ultimately they're rare- pitiful, to some even hideous."</p>
<p>Yuuma frowned, grimacing at the words. "But you're a mosquito..!"</p>
<p>"Nn-nn-nn..." It was fortunate perhaps, that Bun was so well humoured. The mosquito simply chuckled, taking the bowl from her charge. "I am, yes. And my sister, she is too. It's what makes us sisters- the both of us, taking such similar shapes. But you know, a reflection can look like another sometimes too -n? For me..." Bun paused, and reached out to gently take Yuuma's hand- carefully inspecting it, while the girl simply swallowed nervously. "Ahh...you still have a cut here -n. Well..."</p>
<p>Before Yuuma's very eyes, happened something impossible. Bun closed her clawed hands over the girl's own, and with a brief shine there was soon a slight buzzing sound, a sting against her hand. When it was released, Yuuma looked it over only to gasp.</p>
<p>What little cuts she'd made in her travels, were gone.</p>
<p>"A mosquito is known as a pest, -n...a terrible thing spreading disease, and poison -n? But...to a mosquito's own, if they don't take that life blood, they can't have the strength to carry the next generation through either. My form like this...-n...undoubtedly, where I lived in society, what I did, they would have called me a parasite. But...what I wanted, was to help heal the others with me -n? Those of us who had no one else to rely on -n, it wouldn't be right to ignore other 'pests' and 'parasites' like myself, wouldn't you agree -n..?"</p>
<p>Yuuma's response could have been predictable perhaps. "But...if you were helping people, why would that make you a parasite at all..!? Why would you say that about yourself?!" More than predictable even, as the barian chuckled more.</p>
<p>"Nn-nn-nn...well, I suppose it would be hard to understand...and ultimately after all, so many here take the shape they do because they were no good, rather than anything else so..."</p>
<p>Fidgeting, Yuume found herself grinding her teeth. It couldn't just be 'so'. It wasn't fair! But at the same time Bun didn't seem to have any issue with their appearance. They were at home in it. At peace in it, even.</p>
<p>...She wondered, briefly, what that could feel like- but abruptly she heard the sound of buzzing from outside the room instead.</p>
<p>"Eh..? That sound..."</p>
<p>It was more familiar, she realized. Her face went pale, and Bun narrowed her eyes, studying the human's reaction. It was a familiar sound, a familiar buzzing, and-</p>
<p>"Th...that sound is-"</p>
<p>"Quickly," Bun ordered, moving to grab the girl. "In here- in the tub. Don't come out until I say," she persisted, ushering her into the other room and glancing back to the entrance. "No matter what."</p>
<p>"A-Ahh, but-" At the look upon Bun's face, Yuuma quieted. She nodded, and hurriedly slipped into the tub after the cover was removed, hiding beneath it as it was replaced.</p>
<p>She knew that sound though she thought, holding herself close in the dark of the tub. She knew it, she was certain. Bun's buzzing hum was different. But what she heard...</p>
<p>"KA-kakakaaa...did you miss me, Bun-chan~"</p>
<p>It was undoubtedly the one who had attacked her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a good day.</p><p>When Heartland of all people had come around again, Ka had been surprised to put things lightly. She had long since settled into her own circle of things- cast aside her old name for something more fitting, embedded herself in a network of communications not unlike what she had done in life. So when Heartland, the bastard, had shown up before her eyes dressed up in barite garb that told her plain as day what sorts of powers he was associating with, it was very much tempting to refuse his offers.</p><p>The last time Heartland had gotten them something big after all, he was the only one to walk free with the prize.</p><p>"Aaaaaahhhhhkakakaaaa...well, it isn't as if it matters now," the mosquitoid barian ultimately determined, wings barely even moving as she made her way through the realms. Heartland's proposal- demand really, she could see it from the look in his eyes that if she'd refused he would have gotten desperate (and frankly that was just a pain)- had been thus. Each of her other allies would be targetting one of the others for their numbers- the keybearer, his ally in violet, and lastly in her case the teenager 'Kaito Tenjou'- though perhaps more accurately the assignment had been 'investigate'. Problem with that, she'd determined quickly enough, was that her own partners had failed before she even got started.</p><p>Heartland had gotten them killed again it seemed, and this time they wouldn't be coming back as themselves<em> ever</em>. There were theories ultimately, about where Barians went after they died a second time. Most assumed it would be a new life- rebirth of sorts, a completion of a cycle. More cynical sorts would say they were scattered entirely, energy reused without that kind of repetition involved.</p><p>For Ka, the point was that they were gone, once again, because of Heartland. Which wasn't to say she was especially fond of the two- no, Semimaru and Kurage had if simply been occasional allies in larger heists, far from anything to call friends. The kind that got organized by fellows up top- fellows like Heartland. Planner, Driver, Muscle, Sabotage. A perfect 'foursome', which kept on coming back together because all four of them ultimately couldn't help but tempt fate and do one farther.</p><p>Pathetic really. Large numbers truly were a curse.</p><p>Still. Heartland wanted her to investigate Kaito Tenjou's whereabouts, and so she had. Wanted her to decide from there what the best method of action was. And so she <em>had</em>. Letting Heartland know that Kaito would undoubtedly be returning to Heartland soon enough, ready and primed to be targeted by the fly, Ka thus made her move. There had been no remark on if she would need to deal with the Kamishiro boy- and frankly, she preferred it that way. Investigating the location that Kaito and his assistant had put together made the answer to their problems easy, and having to go deal with some other brat in the aftermath would just spoil the feeling of success.</p><p>Simple steps. Simple solutions. Small matters, really.</p><p>The portal used Astrite- a mere spark within the system itself would jostle that up nicely she thus decided, and with only a few small tweaks and tugs of the cables, her work was done. Getting to Yuuma himself would be even easier she determined- once she was far enough away from the base she simply waited for the tell-tale lightshow that the portal had gone through, and then tore off on her own for the energies of the spaces between.</p><p>The boy gleamed brilliantly, a beacon among the energy. Or was it a boy? Passing through the realms something seemed off, but Ka paid it no mind. She charged forward, roaring with laughter, and simply struck. Numbers, stolen, no longer protected by that blasted key the child had so lost. And the child in question, thrown entirely off track.</p><p>...Not that that had been the intent, granted. Her real goal had been to capture them if anything...but really, it was no matter.</p><p>"The boy is dead," she confidently buzzed, appearing directly before Vector instead of bothering with the go-between that was Heartland. Vector, locked up in the chair as he was, was strangely easy to read despite everything. But that in itself was no doubt a ruse- Ka knew the sort. Actors, liars, 'kings' she could even say. Vector was the lord of the Ash Realms and he was lord for a reason, or so her contacts had claimed. </p><p>The deck case from the belt clacked to the ground, and with a raised hand the many many numbers began to rise forward. Compared to the two Numbers that the Kamishiro boy had, and the likely miniscule amount in the possession of the Tenjou's given events in the World Duel Carnival...well.</p><p>She suspected the gleam of triumph, however edged with want (no doubt for the right to have battled Yuuma himself), was genuine. "Impressive," Vector announced, looking to the mosquito. "But I'm surprised...you must not trust your partner at all, to be coming directly for me hmm?"</p><p>Well. That was correct. "Kakaka...well, ultimately you were the one who hired us weren't you, oh 'great Lord Vector'?" There was a twitch at her tone, but as she carried on it lightened. "I don't have time for people who can't plan properly- Heartland in the end is the one who screwed up most, don't you know? If I gave him the Numbers, who would there be to say he didn't just lose them again? Kakakaaaa..."</p><p>As her chuckling trailed off, Vector himself snorted. Good- they agreed on that. "Well then...I suppose you've earned your reward, Ka ninja..!" But as to what that reward would be...she watched something glowing float near, narrowing her eyes.</p><p>"Ka..?"</p><p>"That Numbers I gave you...I'll be taking it back!"</p><p>"KAK-!" A searing pain ran through her body, the card tugged from her being. The power of the false Number 2 faded, but the pain faded along with it, leaving the mosquito to gasp. "What the hell..!"</p><p>"Hn! Don't worry about it...I need this for a little trap, you see..." So then he'd expected her to face them directly? To lose? Ka studied Vector carefully- waiting, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Instead... "Hnhnhnhnnh...Catch~!"</p><p>"Oi- !" And catch, she did. It looked akin to a lotus flower- a recognizable source of energy and power that she could not help but be glad felt nothing at all like the being before her. "...Barite!"</p><p>"All for you, even!" the chair-bound barian 'cheered'. "Of course, if you want more you'll have to wait..." Vector drawled, no doubt hoping to sucker her in for another run as pawn. "So-"</p><p>Ka snorted. "The Barite is plenty -ka!" As Vector blinked, she went on. "I'm no fan of 'big' things...and from here, what you're planning is bigger than anything I've ever dipped my claws in ka! We can just agree to stay out of each other's business instead- I have what I want, and you can just keep doing what you want!"</p><p>In the chair, Vector shook- he shook, and narrowed his eyes with rage for the impudence- but then.</p><p>Then he stopped. As unheard to the mosquito, the very god of the world insisted to leave it. The ninja would bring no consequence- they had far too much power for any risk to come of allowing this loose end free.</p><p>If anything, she wasn't even a loose end. A lump of barite compared to the prize they would have with all the combined power of the Numbers was nothing. She knew nothing of the plans beyond stopping the emissary of the Astrals.</p><p>And as Don Thousand reminded Vector in that moment, in the eyes of Baria, she may as well have been passing the mantle of hero off.</p><p>Perhaps that was even how she saw it.</p><p>(Or perhaps not- Ka after all, knew plenty well what sort of people called on her aid)</p><p>There was silence across from the ninja, and ultimately Vector waved a hand. "Hn! Your loss then, but aaaah...too late to turn back now- if you're not going to be helping, you may as well just leave. Get out of here..!" the barian shouted, Ka simply laughing as she took off to do just that.</p><p>"Hm! Gladly -ka!"</p><p>It was a good day. The mission was complete. The prize was in her hands, and presumably not going to 'bite back' later. If anything, this one little lotus bloom would probably keep her's and Bun's place running for a few decades, assuming they didn't decide to just figuratively rank up and move out from the Ash Lands themselves. Ka flew, and flew quickly however. The lotus was worthless as it was, which would mean she'd have to deal with it elsewhere. Elsewhere would be a hop and a skip away, but she would no doubt end up waiting a number of days just for the process to be over-with, and travelling with those goods wasn't something any old portal could do.</p><p>The fact that she could portal at all was frankly a miracle- something she chalked up to residual energies from the 'number' she'd used. Bun would have to wait a while she ultimately supposed, but it would be fine.</p><p>The day she was flying back home at last, the day she could see the door, was probably the best day yet. No one bugging her with news on whatever was happening in the war, no one bugging her with a new task and job...she could go back to her small things. With comfort even! And wouldn't that be something!</p><p>"Kakakakaaaa...did you miss me, Bun-chan~!" The song-like rasp upon her rather deep voice said clearly just how cheerful she was, trotting in with a sack on her back. "Look! I've gotten us a great haul this time -ka~!"</p><p>Bun, she noted, seemed to have just finished with something at their bed. They didn't so much share as they did stack- if both were sleeping at once, they could pull out a hammock but as it was, the need for sleep was rather rare. She had heard once that greater, more fortunate Barians could sleep in crystals themselves- that the Lords even did so- but the idea seemed almost fanciful in her mind.</p><p>Still, Bun had finished a rest not too long ago... "Mnn? That worried about me -ka? I'm touched..~"</p><p>Bun of course, was not especially impressed. "Nnnn...what else can I worry for, when you leave that way -n..? Even you didn't seem so pleased with this job, -n?"</p><p>The ninja snorted. "Hm! And I'm still not, but it's over at this point. Feast your eyes -ka..~ Some nice little somethings for both of us..!"</p><p>Peering into the sack, Bun blinked in her usual, slow manner. "Ohh...You had something converted...there's good crystal in here..."</p><p>"An entire lotus' worth, -ka. It's ridiculous, what the Lords have to throw around," she snorted.</p><p>"A Lord..? Ka...for you to have done work for them -n..."</p><p>"Psh! Don't worry about it -ka, it's over and done. And frankly too damn big a job to do again -ka! I'm lucky that Astral world picked such a feeble little go-between, to be able to succeed..!"</p><p>Something struck stone, and the mosquitoes froze. No sound repeated, but it was enough for paranoia.</p><p>Ka looked back to the bedding again. Only barely neatened, and yet smelling of something strangely familiar, in a way that Bun was not. "...Hm. How strange-ka...For a moment, I thought I heard something from your washing room, Bun-chan..~"</p><p>Familiar with the tone, Bun merely levelled a glare to her sister. "Ka..."</p><p>"What are you hiding, Bun-chan-ka...? I don't remember seeing any cute little pets wandering the stones outside after all..."</p><p>Bun moved toward the door, standing between it and Ka herself. "Is it that important..? Whatever there is, they'll be gone in short order, -n..?"</p><p>"K...KkAKAKAKAKA! 'Gone in short order'-ka!? With words like that, it's definitely something you don't want me to see then! What is it! What is it? Is it another of those little stone rabbits? I bet it chewed something of mine if you're keeping it in there-ka!"</p><p>"Ka..."</p><p>"Let me on by..! I'm going to see it whether you like it or not, Bun-chan..!"</p><p>"Ka..!"</p><p>"D- Leave her alone!"</p><p>It was in that moment, that both mosquitoid barians froze for their own reasons, one with eyes widening in shock, the other's closing over with resignation.</p><p>And slowly, ever so slowly, Ka found herself looking toward the tired, but very much alive form of Tsukumo Yuuma. The...</p><p><em>Female</em> keybearer, as it so seemed. "K...Ka..."</p><p>"Y...Don't hurt Bun..! Bun was just helping me..! She brought me in when I was right on the brink! So don't you dare..!"</p><p>"Kakaka..." Today...</p><p>"....nnmnnn...this certainly is starting well -n..."</p><p>Today, Ka decided, was the worst day of her afterlife.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"T-T...TSUKUMO YUUMA -KA..."</p><p>"...Oh..? Yuuma? Is that your name then, -n..?"</p><p>For all the tension of the situation, Bun's very presence seemed to bring a softening cushion of peace to it all. Even though Yuuma had no way of knowing what Ka was capable of, she couldn't help but feel that nothing would go wrong.</p><p>It did not of course, keep her from glaring at the darker mosquito across from her, coming out from the washroom with clenched fists. "You..! I recognize your voice!" she declared, pointing accusingly. "You're the one who attacked me! You're the one who took the numbers!!"</p><p>"Mnn..? What on earth are those then -n..?"</p><p>"Ka-! What they are doesn't matter! What on earth are you doing with the key-bearer brat in here, Bun-chan..!"</p><p>"She helped me, obviously! That's what I just said!"</p><p>"I didn't ask you -ka!! You...You shouldn't even be alive -ka, how did you not fall right into the <em>sea</em>!?"</p><p>"The <em>sea</em> -n..!?" Bun, for the first time that Yuuma could tell, only now raised her voice- turning on her sister in shock. "I think if anything -n, it is you who should be explaining things further Ka..."</p><p>The mosquito bristled. "ME!? I was doing my job -ka! Since when do we care about human pipsqueaks..!?"</p><p>"So she is indeed human then...how very interesting -n, it is fortunate the stew stayed down then..."</p><p>"St- st..!?" With all the hysterics going on, Yuuma found herself strangely quiet- watching the banter between the mosquitoes with bafflement. It felt more like watching Rio and Shark argue, she thought. Or maybe Cathy and Kotori, or even like how it felt when she and Akari or Astral argued.</p><p>...She couldn't help but lower her gaze at that very thought, thinking about how much she'd done that. How she'd like to maybe argue again, if it at least meant seeing the spirit. She would hold on and never let go, even through all the bickering, arguing, and-</p><p>"Kakakaka...KAKKAKAKAKAKAKKAA!!!"</p><p>Ka was laughing. "Heh..?"</p><p>"KAAAAAKAKAKAAAAA! KA! What a twist, -ka..! Here I was worried about this blowing in my face, but instead you've fixed it for me -ka..!"</p><p>"Heh!? Oi...What are you talking about!?" Yuuma demanded, stomping the ground with her dusted shoe. "No matter where we are, I'm still going to duel you for my numbers back! And for a way back!"</p><p>For whatever reason, this only made the mosquito laugh harder. "KAAAAAKAKAKAKAKA!! OH!! Oh that's just amazing! Amazing -ka! I'm-!"</p><p>"Mmmmn..." While Ka broke into further laughter, Yuuma watched- her anger building and building, but ultimately bringing no words to her throat.</p><p>Something was wrong here, she couldn't help but think, every protest and snap she could think of refusing to come out. Something was wrong here, and finally she managed the biggest point on her mind.</p><p>"What's so funny..!" Yuuma screamed, fear edging its way into her words. Bun merely looked to Ka, as if her stare would quiet the other, while Ka choked and cackled on and on. "Do you think you're going to win that easy, when you couldn't even duel me to start..!?"</p><p>"KaaAAAAAA..! Oh, whether you would win or not doesn't even matter -ka..! The numbers are long gone into the hands of who they were meant to go to- and even if you had those, it wouldn't do you any good -ka..!"</p><p>"What..!?"</p><p>While Bun's eyes narrowed with some unknown emotion, Ka continued on- eyes showing the sheer glee she carried where her 'mouth' could not. "You ate that stew didn't you? So you've eaten food from this place! Don't you get it -ka!? At this point, you <em>want</em> the Numbers to be in other hands..! You just signed yourself over to the enemy! KAAAKAKAKAKAAAA!!"</p><p>"W...What...?"</p><p>A chill passed down Yuuma's spine, and slowly she turned her eyes from Ka to Bun. Betrayal wrote itself clearly over her face, body stiff and suddenly filled top to bottom with the pain that had been gathering over the many days of fatigue and travel. Unable to blink, unable to do more than hold her eyes incredulously wide, she forced herself to speak.</p><p>"Because...of what I ate...?"</p><p>"...Yuuma," Bun spoke, still looking to Ka. The effect was instantaneous. Ka's laughter cut short with confusion, the mosquito snorting a muttered 'ka?' as Bun's firm and even tone cut the air. "Do you remember, -n? How I asked if you had eaten anything before I found you?"</p><p>Slowly, Yuuma nodded. "T...the fruits. ...But then that's the reason?" she asked, the barians failing to truly respond. "Is that really all it took..? Just eating something, and I can't leave..!? But how did Tron... How can all of you..!?"</p><p>"How others can leave, is something even I don't know -n..? But either way, Ka, at the least, is Barian like myself -n? She is already beyond the veil, instead of acting as an interloper...but for you, -n..." Bun narrowed her eyes at Ka, a quiet and unspoken judgement passing between them. Whatever it was she was blaming the other for was unknown- but it was clear that she was not pleased. "...There is a legend we share with each other here -n. From before the time of the Barian Lords, passed word to word from those who have left even Barian for good. Like the tales of those who wandered from the lands of the living into the dead, tasting food not meant for their kind -n... In such tales, the one who feasts upon that food, can never leave to the land from which they came -n. That...is why I asked if you had already eaten something. I would not curse you -n, not even if I did not know if it were true. But you, Ka..."</p><p>Ka huffed, and turned away- and as Yuuma looked back to her, Bun continued.</p><p>"You...you seem very certain that this is indeed the case, -n...why would that be..?"</p><p>While Yuuma swallowed, the mosquito simply huffed again. "There are plenty of tales coming true these days don't you know, -ka? What's one more?"</p><p>Stories. "So then it's just a story!" Yuuma shouted in relief, a smile on her face. "If that's the case then it doesn't matter! I'll just kattobing, and-!"</p><p>"And get more rest, is what you'll do -n..?" While it looked as if Ka was more than ready to taunt and tease farther, Bun was quick to interrupt. Gently, she placed a hand over the girl's shoulder again. "Right now -n...you need to recover. Whether you<em> are</em> able to leave this place or not, you are here now. It is not a land hospitable to even the rightful residents -n...let alone young girls such as yourself..."</p><p>Yuuma blinked- and for a moment even looked confused. Young girl, they said, but when had any ever referred to her as such? She didn't feel- or look any different either, she was sure. So then how..?</p><p>Taking her silence to mean exhaustion, the mosquito gently nudged Yuuma back toward the bed, and Yuuma found herself following. "Listen to me well -n..? No matter what that one behind me says, you have a place in Bun's house...-n? A place to stay, to stay safe, no matter what happens."</p><p>"What! Not even just a 'for the night' deal -ka..!?"</p><p>"Mmmmn...of course not -n?" While Ka sputtered behind the other, Yuuma just nodded confusedly. Sitting back on the bed, still shaking slightly with fatigue that had yet to be rested through. "Bun and Ka's home is now also 'Yuuma's' home -n..? That's that."</p><p>"Tch-eh!" Ka, fed up beyond words, simply stormed off toward the entrance to disappear.</p><p>In the silence, Yuuma looked worriedly to her one 'friend' in the place. "...B... Bun," she started, swallowing thickly. "...Getting to the Astral world...it's really important, Bun..! So I promise, you won't have to look after me for long at all okay? I-"</p><p>"Mmmn..." Bun reminded her somehow of her grandmother, Yuuma realized in that moment. The tone she had wasn't severe, not like when she had considered leaving for school without breakfast, but it was the kind of tone that was simply difficult to argue against. A tone of sympathy, as if there was something she didn't know. Something she didn't understand. "For now -n....focus on recovering, mnn? Then, we can talk about things like Astral world matters, and such -n..."</p><p>Yuuma stared.</p><p>And slowly, she nodded.</p><p>The tone was clear, she thought as she rolled over.</p><p>Bun did not think it possible, let alone wise.</p><p>She'd simply have to convince her otherwise when she felt able to walk properly, Yuuma decided quietly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>While she slept, she could hear them argue.</p>
<p>'<em>Do you even realize how dangerous this will be -ka! Even if she's trapped here for good, she's supposed to be dead -ka!</em>'</p>
<p>It was faint, distant, and echoing- resonating in her dreams as she slumbered.</p>
<p>'<em>Mmmn...you did not seem so worried -n, when you first realized this -n... Were you not the one so sure she could not leave these realms again -n..?</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>Don't give me that 'so sure' crap -ka! You know she can't leave Bun-chan! You know it! The only way anyone would be leaving is if one of the Lords did it- and seeing how it was a Lord who wanted her dealt with -ka...</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>Mmnnn...so you think they will come here -n. Finish the job...</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>If she's properly hidden they shouldn't even think there's a job to finish -ka..!</em>'</p>
<p>Yuuma curled tightly in her sleep, grimacing at the noise.</p>
<p>'<em>Then what is the problem, -n..?</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>You...you..!</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>...you are worried it will slip out -n..? That someone will say something, about a human here..?</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>Obviously -ka!! There shouldn't be a human here at all!</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>And who is to say she is 'human' if she is seen-n..? It wouldn't be the first someone chose human shape -n...not the first time someone so young clung to a mask to start, -n...it makes children feel safer, wouldn't you say..?</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>It would be safer if she was DEAD, -ka! For good!</em>'</p>
<p>Silence.</p>
<p>Somehow, silence made her heart race more.</p>
<p>Bun's voice echoed.</p>
<p>Her heart ran with it.</p>
<p>'<em>You will not lay a single claw upon that child, Ka.</em>'</p>
<p>Bun's vocal tic seemed to vanish- and as the silence followed, Yuuma shivered.</p>
<p>'<em>Nh...kh...s...since when did you care so much then!? Since when did one brat matter so much -ka..!</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>Did you forget so soon, what I did in life, Ka?</em>' The tic was still gone.</p>
<p>Yuuma shuddered more completely, curled until she was a mere lump in the blanket.</p>
<p>'<em>Did you forget, what it was that I did...why my shape is mine, with all the red that is hidden from my hands..? Did you forget</em>,' Bun added lowly, the image of the golden mosquito standing straight simply so she could lean over the one who was typically taller than she, coming to Yuuma's mind, '<em>How I died...-n...?</em>'</p>
<p>Silence reigned.</p>
<p>But Yuuma felt herself relax.</p>
<p>'<em>....Tcheh! Useless, -ka...It's useless..!</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>Swear to me you won't hurt her, -n...swear it on your very soul, that not a single claw will be placed on her with force,</em>' Bun insisted lowly, the image of her burning gaze settling in the back of Yuuma's mind. '<em>As long as she lives, I will keep her safe here. If she is here now, then she is as Barian as all of us -n..? And if she is Barian, she should feel safe among allies, -n..?</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>KA! You're for real!?</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>Swear it, Ka.</em>'</p>
<p>'<em>This is ridiculous, Bun-chan..!</em>'</p>
<p>'<em><strong>If you do not swear it, I-</strong></em>'</p>
<p>Yuuma's eyes opened, and her ears could hear the sounds no longer. All she could hear was distant buzzing, accompanied by the rush of her own pulse in her ears.</p>
<p>Bun and Ka were sisters, she told herself. But now, they were fighting. And for now it was a simple thing. It even felt like Bun would 'win'.</p>
<p>But they would still be so upset with the other. So at odds, because she was here.</p>
<p>Yuuma stared at the smooth wall across from her, watching as light streaked up and through the stone.</p>
<p>She could not stay here any longer.</p>
<p>She had eaten. She had rested. If she told herself to kattobing enough, she could do anything, that much she was sure.</p>
<p>But she couldn't say here longer, and so with a nod to herself she turned over and looked over the room in the dull red light.</p>
<p>Empty.</p>
<p>Probably not for long.</p>
<p>She could stay here no longer, Yuuma told herself.</p>
<p>So she didn't.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It didn't seem to ever get dark in the Barian world, which made escaping rather tense. Of course it worked out better to do so when there was no one in the room resting and sleeping anyway- no doubt they would have heard her leave- but there was something about planning a daring run-off in broad dull daylight that added an edge of danger.</p>
<p>She couldn't bring any food- she didn't know where Bun stored it, and suspected in fact that Bun was actively seeking food out for her sake, something that even emphasized how important it was to stop imposing sooner rather than later. And ultimately from there it was just herself, and her cards.</p>
<p>There was nothing to do except kattobingu then, she told herself- but not aloud.</p>
<p>She didn't want to get caught after all.</p>
<p>Peeking out the door, she had to bite back a gasp. They were rather high up- the home was some sort of orb among clusters of them, most without any visible window or doorway, and the clusters were held upon branches like berries upon a tree. There was barely anything to walk upon outside the door in fact- just enough to let her carefully slide down to the sphere below, bit by bit inching her way toward the branch itself.</p>
<p>The stone fortunately had some grit to it- just enough to give her something to grip, and as she made her way toward the 'trunk' of the 'tree', she looked across the great land there was. Off to the one side, she could see the many sharpened crystals of the 'woods' she'd come through, before it opened into the wider, more barren valley of rusted stands among round and smoothed rock. Even farther off in that direction and she could see the sea.</p>
<p>So not what she wanted to walk toward.</p>
<p>The other direction looked almost the same though- forests of sharpened stone surrounding other 'trees' with round crystal orbs, and the occasional mountain of pure rock. If she squinted though, she thought with a frown, she could see gold. Gold, brighter than anything, perhaps like a desert.</p>
<p>...A desert wasn't exactly great either, but she ultimately decided going was better than nothing. <em>Kattobing</em>, right?</p>
<p>Sliding her way down the trunk of the 'tree', she kept her eyes toward the direction she needed to go. Keep going <em>straight</em>. As long as she kept going straight, only barely moving to avoid obstacles, she'd at the very least not go in circles. She just needed to move straight, she told herself once her shoes hit the ground, nodding to herself and starting off on a walk.</p>
<p>And she couldn't run for that matter either. It was tempting- she had no idea how long the mosquitoes would be out, and frankly she was surprised they both were at all. But running would tire her out faster, and until she had some source of food or drink again that could spell disaster.</p>
<p>Just <em>walk</em>.</p>
<p>With a swallow, Yuuma set out- soon disappearing into the 'woods' and watching as even the sun's pale light began to blot itself behind the crystal shards above.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The brat was gone.</p>
<p>"KKKKKKAAAAAAAAAA!! DAMMIT..!"</p>
<p>When Bun had noticed that their 'discussion' (argument really, there was no use dressing it up, but Bun was like that after all) was disturbing the kid in the bed, she'd elected to pull them outside. Outside, up high, and into one of the abandoned dwellings that was in the tree.</p>
<p>There were many of those in the Ashlands- some more genuinely abandoned than others, which could occasionally be revealed to have been a squatter's home after all (it wasn't as if there was rent in the accursed place), but at the very least there was one far at the top that they knew wouldn't be inhabited.</p>
<p>It was too close to the sun for their tastes, so they tended to use it precisely for look-outs and nothing more. Except, it seemed, today.</p>
<p>Swear an oath, Bun had said- insisted really, refusing to take no for an answer. It was her fault the child was trapped in Barian, and she'd take responsibility, whether it was a deed paid for or not.</p>
<p>It infuriated her. How could it not! The brat was a key player in the war of all things, a hot potato, better dead than alive, however that would even work in this place!</p>
<p>But no! Bun wouldn't let it drop. Swear an oath, upon the very <em>fabric</em> of her being, that she wouldn't lay even hurt her unintentionally!</p>
<p>AND NOW THE DAMN BRAT WAS GONE!</p>
<p>Bun, suffice to say, was worried. She was off to go looking in an instant, and for a moment Ka decided 'good riddance'. Bun would undoubtedly give up and come home, they could settle into their pattern of things...she huffed, sorting through the sack of goods she'd brought back to do something useful with her time.</p>
<p>There was just one issue, Ka realized not long after starting that. One small, glaring issue, unfortunately.</p>
<p><em>What if someone saw- and Recognized- the girl</em>? Yuuma Tsukumo was not an unknown to those within the modern day of the last year. And people entered Barian <em>every day</em>. All it took was one set of loose lips- and then word would travel. It always did, that was what she thrived upon.</p>
<p>And if word reached the Lord of Ash, if word reached <em>Vector</em>, just as she'd noted as a risk to Bun...</p>
<p>Ka flew from the home immediately, wings buzzing with nervous rage. Think, she told herself- the girl came from the sea. She had to be smart enough to not go that way, so where from there?</p>
<p>Well, the opposite direction of course- and the girl would be on foot Ka further told herself, darting off into the woods. She'd be going on foot into the darker undergrowth, where it would be impossible to see from above, so it would be all she could do to charge in and-</p>
<p>"KAAAAAA!! Of all the useless, stupid!!! KA!!"</p>
<p>She needed to find the girl. She needed to find her FAST.</p>
<p>She just hoped she did it before the kid's blasted dumb luck earned the attention of what small handfuls of Barians even lived in this rotten barren region of the realms.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Running away may have been a mistake.</p>
<p>"HAHH...HAH...HAH..."</p>
<p>So much for walking, she found herself thinking as she choked on the air, not even risking a glance behind. Shadowed...<em>things</em> were streaking after her, soaring into the air where they could, with masks of deep violet barely visible upon their form.</p>
<p>Yuuma ran, and as she ran she could feel the air pushed aside by claws swung through the air, stinging against what cuts she'd sustained thus far. Many scratches and scrapes covered her arms now; running pell mell through the thick maze of thorns and stones did that, but she could no longer afford to run with care.</p>
<p>The beasts continued their attack. "HAHH-HAHH....HAHH..."</p>
<p>They continued, and she was running out of energy.</p>
<p>"HR-K!"</p>
<p>Shoe catching on a root of stone she finally fell, skidding across the ground and hissing on contact before turning in fear. There could be no recovering from that fall after all- and whatever things were chasing her, they would not simply stop and wait for her and-</p>
<p>"<em>DAMMIT -KA...!</em>"</p>
<p>Something<em> jumped</em> upon the wraith, practically skewering it with their foot when they landed. The beast screeched as it faded into dust, and as Yuuma pulled herself up from the ground, the mosquitoid barian seethed.</p>
<p>"Y...You...You damn idiot, -ka..! What are you doing!! Get to running!"</p>
<p>"Y...You're..."</p>
<p>"What did I just say -ka?! Do you plan to make me look bad for Bun, so soon after we make our deal!?"</p>
<p>With a hasty nod, Yuuma pulled herself off and tore off- Ka's voice echoing in frustration as she tore through another shadowed thing and followed after.</p>
<p>"IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, -KA!!"</p>
<p>"Mnh...this is the right direction!" Yuuma insisted, shoes slapping at the ground. "I'm not going back to your house! I'm getting out of this place, now matter how long it takes-! I'm going to kattobing, and-"</p>
<p>"Are you seriously this stupid!?" Ka protested with a cry, sucking in a breath as she looked upward. Through what few holes in the trees could be seen, was a greater swarm of shadow. They were undoubtedly wraiths- with cold jaws of fuchsia, and a single glowing 'eye' to behold in the mass of shadow. While Ka had successfully torn a few apart already, there were far more gathering up above and it was clear that they could not fight through it.</p>
<p>The light in their eyes focused on both, and the mosquito realized why there were so many.</p>
<p>"D...dammit..." They knew. "DAMMIT -KA!" They had to know, or at least know enough that these things felt it worthwhile catching them both and carrying them off. Reaching for Yuuma as she ran, she snarled. "If you had just stayed put -ka, neither of us would be in this mess! Your running 'home' is going to get us ki-"</p>
<p>The mosquito choked, her very hand scratching at air as she tried to grab for the girl. As if her very arm had been thrown off balance, it simply refused to make contact. The pair were still running, running as greater amounts of light became visible up ahead, and Ka sputtered incredulously.</p>
<p>'Lay not a claw on her in your anger', Bun had insisted she swear, and swear she did- and of course this was something that counted against that!</p>
<p>"You don't have to follow me though!" Yuuma was crying, still running. "Just go home and leave me here, if you're scared!"</p>
<p>Leave her? HAH! She wished she could, but what would that get her at this point!! This was an open shut job! A case that was too good to be true until it wasn't!</p>
<p>...And until it was again, apparently. "YOU....DAMN..."</p>
<p>Another wraith came through the trees of stone, and Ka slashed at it with her claws while she screeched. There were too many. All were filtering in, and as they stood there, the exit so  close, Ka hissed.</p>
<p>"To think... I should have known there was something wrong with you -ka! I should-"</p>
<p>"KATTOBINGU..!" Another wraith screeched, but this time she was not the one to strike. A branch in her hands, Yuuma slashed at the shadows with a yell, leaving the mosquito to sputter. For a moment, they were again alone in the crystal woods, the shadows nothing but immobile pools of black beneath the rocks. "HAh..! See? I've got this!" Yuuma shouted with a grin. "So you don't have to worry about me at all! You can go back to Bun, and pretend nothing ever happened, and-"</p>
<p>"Will you watch what's happening around you before running your mouth -ka..!"</p>
<p>With a shove, Yuuma found herself slammed to the ground- a recently formed shadow becoming nothing but that as Ka crushed the mask in her claws. Even so it had not come without cost; in its last moments the shadow's arms had reached for her wings, an echoing crack meeting the air.</p>
<p>"NNNHHHHUUUAAAAAA-KAKAKAAAAAA..!"</p>
<p>"K...Ka..."</p>
<p>She didn't have this. She didn't have this at all, Yuuma realized coldly, eyes widening as even more shadows began to make themselves clear before her. Floating closer from behind Ka, as the mosquito hissed and gingerly reached for her wing.</p>
<p>"Y...I'm..."</p>
<p>"<em>FROM DUST TO LIGHT, STRIKE AS THE SEA- HOLY THUNDER..!</em>"</p>
<p>A crash came through the air- a blinding light, one that was impossible to see through. In an instant, all shadows before them were ash, turning into nothing but dust upon the wind. No shadows came to replace them- not even a single one, not even to peek upon the assailant and flee.</p>
<p>Ka, who had fallen upon one knee, looked to their 'rescuer' first- and as Yuuma slowly turned from her back to look behind her, the mosquito gasped.</p>
<p>"H...Hey now...there's people like this here -ka..!? For real..!?"</p>
<p>The figure was cloaked. It was not a brilliant or form fitting one like the Barians had worn in Sargasso however- instead if anything it looked to be a simple sheet of fabric draped over the form, and that form in question seemed to be some weathered and worn old man bearing a staff. It seemed almost familiar, Yuuma thought as she looked to it- a brilliant mask shining from it, before the figure held it to his side.</p>
<p>Pulling the hood back, they were human.</p>
<p>"Hehh...! I knew I couldn't be-"</p>
<p>"Ka! How the hell can anyone clinging to history like that have that much power -ka!?" As Yuuma stood, preparing to greet the rescuer excitedly, Ka simply scoffed and clung to a tree for support. Yuuma turned in confusion, and Ka continued. "Destroying that many shades...and you have a human face, -ka? What kind of thing are you..!?"</p>
<p>The man did not answer- his beard long, and his hair just as. But as his eyes fell upon Yuuma the man's fierce gaze softened. And while it had seemed he would not be answering them despite the rescue, he gestured for them to follow.</p>
<p>"It is not my fault that you failed to realize what neighbors you have, Barian." He spoke the word as if it did not apply to him- as if it were an insult, Ka realized with narrowed eyes, and Yuuma as well stared in confusion. "But if we speak out here you'll risk the attention of even more, attracted to the chaos at your side."</p>
<p>"Ka- <em>attracted</em> to it..!?"</p>
<p>"O...Oii, is anyone going to explain what Chaos even is..?! Chaos this, chaos that...what am I doing that's so bad here huh..? All I did was fall here! Because of her even!" she added, the mosquito flinching.</p>
<p>"Don't you start that again -ka..!"</p>
<p>The old man did not say anything. Instead he turned, already walking off down the well lit path beyond the woods. With no other choice than to follow, the two soon did- and only when they had been walking a few minutes more, did he continue. "My people," he explained, "Have lived here for some time. Hidden in plain sight, becoming dust and light as needed. Were it not for the danger you brought close to us, we would have been fine continuing that way as well," the old man warned, glancing back for a moment. "But...I can see why now, at least..."</p>
<p>"Tch. If she hadn't run -ka..."</p>
<p>"If what he's saying is right, stuff would have followed me anyway wouldn't it!!" Yuuma protested, only to swallow and bow her head. "...But...I'm sorry," she added quietly. "...I didn't want to make things worse- not for you, or for you, old guy. I just...wanted to go home..."</p>
<p>The old man was still silent- not even reacting to the casual and even childish way to which he was referred. Instead he sighed, tapping at the ground with his staff as they passed the final threshold of trees. Here, instead of the great globular trees they had seen at the other end of the woods, were great stone pillars pocked with holes. They were practically tombs, Yuuma found herself thinking- and yet with wide eyes she watched as more and more cloaked and hooded figures began to make their way out. Lightning arced across the air far above, and as the old man looked to them he seemed to grumble under his breath. More and more people filtered out, and the staff disappeared from his hands entirely.</p>
<p>"Home," he repeated, staring to the child. His eyes were hard, but there was an edge of sympathy that could not be ignored. "The world of the living?" the man questioned as Ka snorted.</p>
<p>"Tch. This brat is determined -ka," she grumbled. "Doesn't matter that we told her it was probably impossible -ka, she just has to-"</p>
<p>"It is impossible. You..." The man sighed. "You are human, aren't you? Still alive, not yet even dead..."</p>
<p>Yuuma found herself stunned at the direct statement, and slowly she nodded. "Y...yeah. How did you..."</p>
<p>"The chaos that radiates off of you...it's impressive. Like nothing I've ever seen in all of my years here..." he muttered, Ka studying him suspiciously. "However you came here though, there is no return- nothing from this place can enter the world of the living without a form of power that no mere Barian or spirit here has."</p>
<p>"W...What..!?" It seemed as if Yuuma would protest. Of course she would, Ka thought- aside from the girl's ridiculous dedication, she had proof that other Barians HAD entered the world of the living recently.</p>
<p>Somehow, at least. But the man pressed on, already walking off to join the growing crowd. "A human in our midst is something unheard of- but we are not without mercy. We of the Ash Pillars will look after you, and take you in...and discuss what this means, for you in particular," he added when it seemed she might protest once more.</p>
<p>"What it means..?"</p>
<p>The suspicion in Ka's mind grew heavier, and the man nodded. "Indeed...You may rest with Azul," he insisted, a figure in a blue cloak stepping forward. "We will discuss things later."</p>
<p>"O-Oii, discuss..!?"</p>
<p>"Hn! I have some questions too, -ka...like how this many people were hiding right nearby, in the Ashlands of all places..!"</p>
<p>While Yuuma turned to stare at the mosquito for her outburst, the people around them remained silent. Not a word was given in answer, and all they did was part for 'Azul' to lead them to one of the entry holes of the lowest part of a pillar.</p>
<p>The two were quiet as well, in the face of that. And with a swallow, Yuuma nodded. "We'll just have to ask once we're inside then, right? Besides, saying things like it's impossible...I know you know it's not true!" she added, looking to Ka. "So there..!"</p>
<p>So there...</p>
<p>"Tcheh! What a waste, -ka..." But the pain in Ka's wing flared, and with a hiss, she followed along. "As long as we get some decent treatment out of this, we may as well then..! Stupid, clingy...kakakakakaaaaa..."</p>
<p>The mosquito's words devolved into a series of clicks, and Yuuma at that point tuned her out. All around there were people in cloaks- people, she noted, however hidden by the fabric. They peered from the sides and from above, and Yuuma in turn could not look away as they were led to the pillar. What did it mean, she wondered, if Ka- a Barian here, had questions.</p>
<p>What did it mean, she thought after a moment more- that they had called her 'Barian' with so much clear spite,<em> when they lived here too?</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The room was far more house-like than the one where Bun and Ka lived, or so Yuuma thought. It had everything she could imagine being necessary in an 'old house', a ruin to be explored- a place for a hearth, or whatever odd gleaming rocks were meant for it, a place for eating, for cooking, for sleeping....</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azul as he was called pulled down his hood only once they were inside. His expression apologetic, but otherwise stern. Impossibly, his very brows were as thick as his moustache, and if Yuuma had not been looking for the eyes beneath them she could have sworn he had none at all. "You've created quite a stir," the man ultimately said, his voice gravelly and worn. "Until now...there hasn't been much excitement here at all." Silence filled the air as he gestured to a set of cots at the side, neither of the girls moving especially quick toward them. "You must excuse Rojo, however. He's serious...and he likes to see himself as the leader of our settlement, true- but he means well."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka!" Ka of course, took offense. "Really now? With the way he was talking on, you would have thought none of you were Barians- I'm not exactly happy to be here -ka, but pulling us in to shuffle us to the side...I don't think I'll be doing any excusing at all, -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma at least was a bit kinder about things- even if it was clear she wanted nothing more than to jump up and run for the next potential goal. "Who are all of you, anyway? When I met Bun, she thought I was 'newly dead' because of how I looked...but if there's so many of you, you can't all have just died now right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It felt strange to address the matter so bluntly as such, but ultimately the knowledge that they would be fine enough here (or at least mostly fine) helped to dampen those issues. Yuuma frowned, and Azul simply moved to sort through some scrolls and crystals at the side.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We... ...Hmm. I need to think about what Rojo would want to share with you both, before I can answer that. You're right after all- we're not 'new' at all. As your friend may have guessed, we've lived here for a number of years in fact," Azul explained, Ka sputtering in an instant.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka-! This little brat is far from a friend!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right! It's her fault I'm here at all, we're not friends at all!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azul, silent and staring for a moment, chose not to dignify them with a precise response. Instead he carried on. "Our human states are because that's who we are. We're no beasts- no...monsters," he continued, snorting. Soon enough he had what he needed, and moved toward the pair. "We are who we are."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But Bun said..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnh, so you're all little cowards -ka, clinging to the past then! How unexpected, to see a crowd like that in this place, kakakaka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hold still," Azul said in reply, ignoring the mosquito. "I'm going to patch your wing."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Can't even answer me, can you then? You're just as Barian as the rest of us after all! The only real exception here is that brat -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey!" Yuuma had just about had this. "My name is Yuuma..! Yuuma..! I'm no brat!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course you are! KGh- KA! What the hell are you even putting on my wing!?" Ka protested part way, Azul merely shrugging.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's just natural Barite- it does the trick doesn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You haven't even purified it!? How the hell-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma at this point groaned, leaning back on the cot. She wasn't going to understand a thing that was being said, and at this point getting any answers was feeling like a lost cause. Ultimately, she zoned out until the sight of Azul standing over her registered- the man gesturing for her to sit up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Alright. Your turn now, let's see your wounds..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kakakakaka...if you think barite is going to have any effect -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azul simply ignored the mosquito. After all, it was clear they weren't going to get along on any points. Yuuma handed her arm over obediently however, and blinked as the man paused- staring at the cuts, and even lifting her arm up to squint. "O-Oi! Hey, what's the matter..!?" He frowned, and tentatively brought the stone powder paste on his finger near to the wound- frowning harder when Yuuma flinched at the touch. "HIHH! That's cold..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Behind the man, Ka laughed. "KAKAKAKAKAAAaaa...Oh! Didn't believe me then?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This is..." Azul removed his hand quickly, gripping more tightly as he peered at the wounds.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HEY!! Lighten up-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This is </span>
  <em>
    <span>blood</span>
  </em>
  <span>..! But how-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That hurts..! Oi!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The grip was quickly loosened, and in horror, Azul stepped back. "...How can you possibly..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"She told you herself didn't she?" Ka hummed, looking extremely pleased with herself. "She's human, -ka! And not some false 'human', clinging to their old lives in hell...</span>
  <em>
    <span>Really</span>
  </em>
  <span> human..." While Azul glared at the barian, she carried on. "Your partner in red- that 'Rojo' guy, he recognized that -ka. Maybe he's not as unreasonably serious as you think, kakakakaka...at least by your lot's standards!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment Azul merely scowled, but ultimately he looked back to the girl's cuts and sighed. "I need to get something else for this then. Hopefully one of us has fabric to spare, and some water..." Muttering on to himself, he paused to look back. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Do not</span>
  </em>
  <span> leave," he insisted, before vanishing out the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Almost two seconds later, and Yuuma was on her feet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was quickly blocked by Ka.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not that I don't understand your reasoning -ka, but maybe it would be better to wait until after you've gotten the free treatment, don't you think?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahhh-!" Yuuma scowled, balling her fists. "No way! I can take a few scrapes! Besides, I've already been here long enough...I need to get home, and to-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And to Astral! Got it, got it -ka..!" The barian rolled her eyes. "You, however, aren't going anywhere -ka! You have Bun-chan worried sick- I swore a whole damn oath to keep you alive for her, -ka! Which means that as soon as we can, you're following me back to-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before Yuuma could learn just what it was that Ka even called the strange area she lived, someone appeared in the door- standing at the front of Azul, was a far smaller cloaked figure, the fabric a dull violet in hue. Bits of green could be seen from under the hood, but the cowl covered the face entirely. What little there was that could have at all been seen, was covered in shadow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She carried however, a tray of cut fabric, a small jar of water, and what looked to be some sort of paste.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Here- I've brought someone to help clean your wounds and get you settled," Azul explained, nodding down to the seeming child.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The child in turn was simply silent- something that had Azul, cowl and hood long since discarded once he was inside, sigh. Refocusing he thus moved over, gently motioning for Yuuma to sit on the cot again. "It's not even that bad..." Yuuma grumbled, Azul simply frowning.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And it'll be worse if they're left that way- </span>
  <em>
    <span>especially</span>
  </em>
  <span> since you're 'actually human'," he warned, the disbelief still clear in his tone. "Who knows what kind of things could happen with exposure..." The accompanying child set the tray down near Yuuma's side, taking a larger chunk of cloth and dipping it into the water. "Now. Arms out, come on..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma scowled, but ultimately didn't argue. It was like trying to argue with the school nurse, or Akari. There wouldn't be any point, and ultimately it felt better to have the cuts bandaged up anyway. But it was frustrating, ultimately. The delays kept stacking- the time kept </span>
  <em>
    <span>passing</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And it wasn't even as though she didn't know what could be done. Now there WAS something she could do, and it was everyone around her insisting otherwise! And obviously, she told herself, Ka had 'good' reasons for it- she was on Heartland's side, she was sure of it! But...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As the fabric was wrapped around her arms and sealed in place with paste, Yuuma's anger faded somewhat. The other mosquito looking barian after all, had nothing to do with that. It felt like the people here knew something she didn't, but Bun, at least, did not. Bun tried to help. But even so, Bun also wanted her to stay. For her own safety, it seemed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But she </span>
  <em>
    <span>couldn't.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There, that's it." Azul stood- and with him, the younger one. "We'll come fetch you both once things have been properly discussed," he explained, looking from Ka to Yuuma. After a moment of hesitance, he added- "...Get some rest."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was nothing more to do than nod- the two cloaked ones left, and Yuuma, in her frustration, collapsed on the cot with a muffled shout. "UGH!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"-KA! Well, at least this will be a little fun to watch then, won't it -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She decided, ultimately, that she was more tired than she thought, and that ignoring Ka was the best idea.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It didn't take long it felt, before she felt someone rousing her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Come on- get up," she could hear Azul grumble, the girl groaning in her sleep. "We've reached our decision- the others will speak with you now."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Distantly she could hear Ka. "Ohhh, how important..~ As if you've done anything other than shuttle us away to wait -ka..! If you hadn't taken so long, I'd have actually been scared...~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka was of course, ignored. "Just follow me," Azul instructed as Yuuma sat up, grumbling and hopping off from the cot. "It shouldn't take too long, and you can go back to sleep after."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At the comment, Ka narrowed her eyes- in one statement, Azul had confirmed that nothing </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrible</span>
  </em>
  <span> would be happening, while also confirming that they were planning something she wouldn't be able to just sit back and allow. Not if she wanted to be secure in this secret staying secret.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, cross that bridge in a few minutes once they got there she decided as the cloaked barian and sleepy human walked on ahead. There were not nearly so many people gathered outside this time. Most, it seemed, had gone back indoors- or perhaps not, Ka realized coldly. Her slouch stiff, it only took moments to realize how many spirit-orbs were drifting through the air, a sea of stars glinting in the red haze.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So they did more than just take human state then, she realized dully. The form of spirits wasn't uncommon of course- plenty did it, at least for the dull escape it provided. An empty existence, free from time, worry...one could lose years that way, or so she had been told. Bun was the one to explain it to her ultimately- explain the one time she'd done it, and how difficult it had been to escape it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And here, these people seemed to be able to switch between at the drop of a hat- at least if the cloaked figure who had just now appeared from another light was any sign.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tense and stiff, Ka crossed her arms and watched- watched as Yuuma stood before now three cloaked beings, a small handful of lights floating and drifting around them. "We have spoken together as a people," the one in green began, Yuuma looking curiously between the lights and the cloaked figures as well. "The appearance of a human is unprecedented- yet you are clearly such. We will offer you shelter here all the same; to arrive in this place is a curse none ask for after all, and to refuse a child sanctuary a crime graver than many can name."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We must ask you however," Rojo continued, Yuuma's mouth parted to prepare for protest. "How it is that you came here."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment, Yuuma seemed caught on the protests she'd been about to start- but with renewed energy, she started. "I fell here! I was supposed to go to the Astral world, to rescue Astral and bring him back home- but instead, I was attacked!" she began, Ka watching the figures carefully. If they turned on her here...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Fortunately, Yuuma seemed to realize this. She did not clarify </span>
  <em>
    <span>who</span>
  </em>
  <span> attacked her, even if she hesitated. Instead with a swallow she shook her head, pressing on with other matters.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And I'm still going to do that!" Yuuma announced. "There </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> a way to go back to earth! I know there is, because others went too! Tron...the other Barians, like that Semimaru guy...they all came from this place, which means there has to be a way!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To this, the cloaked ones narrowed their eyes. "Impossible," Rojo insisted immediately. "That would take an unprecedented amount of power. The Lords, perhaps..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But the Lords don't involve themselves with the people," Azul snorted, shaking his head. "The lands are built in their image, and that's it. Our power is theirs, not the other way around."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Through all the confusion, Verde waved all matters off. "It simply cannot be done," he insisted, stooping down closer to her level. Upon one knee he kneeled, guilt in his eyes. "And there is no telling what a human in Barian will mean to those same Lords- we can look after you, for what life you have left...but if you were to leave there would not be much left at all."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What..?" For a moment it seemed as if Yuuma was horrified. Instead, Ka noted with a bit of smugness despite all things, she quickly proved herself furious. "You're kidding me..! So what if it's dangerous..! So what if it's hard! The Barian Lords...if they're the ones who can get me home, or to Astral, then I'll go talk to them myself! Just staying here...what good would that do anyone!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It is for your own safety," Verde insisted patiently, only to be interrupted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And I don't need safety..! What I need to do is save the one who needs help now!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>All </span>
  </em>
  <span>of you are wrong -ka," Ka finally interrupted, tromping forward with a growl. "The girl is under mine, and Bun's protection. You know Bun, don't you -ka? You knew we were neighbors after all," she remarked, the others impassive. "Bun has taken her as her own- and I, Ka, have sworn an oath on my soul," the ninja added- albeit with clear resignation. "What good is that going to do then, if she's all the way over here -ka!? And what kind of influences will you be anyway? Little wisps and wax-faces, how long have </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> all been hiding from reality, kakakakaka... At least with me and Bun-chan, she'll know what to expect!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What she needs is normalcy," snarled Rojo, Verde standing to glare at the mosquito himself. "She's human- and all of us are at heart, unlike</span>
  <em>
    <span> you</span>
  </em>
  <span>!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, so you finally say what you're thinking huh, -ka..? You should be more honest, I hear it makes relationships stronger -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Azul was next to bite out their words, visibly shaking in place. "Frankly," he warned, "Your presence is hardly needed now- we've treated your wounds," he told her. "Why don't you fly home with the wings you've earned?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"OH! Is that how you're taking it -ka? A few harsh words, and it's time to go?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O...Oii..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"'Barian' this, 'Human' that...You're all refusing to look in the mirror at yourselves -ka! What do a crowd of cowards intend to do?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"At least we have the power to keep her safe!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"OIIII!!" Yuuma's frustrated shouts were ignored, and the girl's jaw clenched tight for one instant before she snapped again. "I told you, I'm not staying with anyone..! And none of you can make me stay here!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As all four turned, ready to argue yet again, yet another voice interrupted. Young, younger than even Yuuma's own the girl thought, from a speck of light that soon materialized into the cloaked 'child' she'd seen before. "She's right isn't she? Even if she has to sleep, and eat, what's stopping her from leaving? From any of you?" she added, looking to Ka as she said that. While the ninja huffed, the cloaked ones stared in silence. "She got away once- she can get away again can't she?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Is that what you truly believe, or an excuse?" Verde questioned dully, Rojo adding in more as well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We've spoken to you on this as well after all. There's no reason to leave these walls- not while certain eyes are watching."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now that, Ka thought, was interesting in itself. Rather than commenting however she simply watched the argument unfold, idly keeping the first few words in mind. It was true after all- how long had she and Bun been out, 10 minutes? 20? It had hardly been any time at all, and off she went to get herself caught, killed, or worse.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There could always be worse in Barian after all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She'd already seen the extent to which the clause of her oath stretched. If she was so much as irritated or panicked when she reached out, touching the girl was impossible. How was she supposed to pull anyone out of danger, if she couldn't even do that? And from there, the ninja thought bitterly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what would happen when she WAS harmed?</span>
  </em>
  <span> It wasn't something she wanted to risk.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Which meant that if she wanted to keep anything under control...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Think about it seriously. We haven't seen a living person in all the centuries we've been here- now here she is, with connections to </span>
  <em>
    <span>Astral</span>
  </em>
  <span> beings even- we may be isolated, but we're not </span>
  <em>
    <span>deaf</span>
  </em>
  <span>," the girl was arguing, the trio of elders conversing in hushed tones to each other briefly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Grimly, Azul was the one who spoke next. "And what are you proposing then? That you'll guide her there yourself?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Your journey would be long," added Verde, his voice as stone. "You would be travelling a great distance, even if to the nearest Lord beyond the Ashlands."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And with human limits to consider, you would need to prepare in ways none of us have thought of in a number of years- especially if you encounter </span>
  <em>
    <span>monsters</span>
  </em>
  <span>." Briefly, Ka wondered if they meant true beasts, or other barians with that- but notably, the smaller of the cloaked ones simply nodded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I know. But it's </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>, isn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was something more here, Ka noted. It would take being blind, deaf, and even without touch, to miss it. But still she wisely held her tongue, waiting for Yuuma to speak.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You..." Yuuma slowly grinned, the happiest she had been since arriving, Ka was sure. "You'll help me then? You'll help me there?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before there was an answer, Ka stepped forward. "If you're going anywhere -ka, it's with me!" she snapped. "Unless you want to leave Bun-chan wondering if </span>
  <em>
    <span>both</span>
  </em>
  <span> of us were eaten by something in those woods!" While Yuuma flinched with guilt- aah, so she did care about the other mosquito then- their smaller intruder waved a hand.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We can have someone pass a message then," she insisted, turning to the elders. "Isn't that right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Silence, but ultimately one nodded. Rojo, confrontational as ever, turned his eyes upon Ka. "We can- meaning that no input from you is necessary at all."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They would not be getting rid of her this easily, Ka decided in that moment. This was the worst outcome. Absolutely the worst. If the girl was spotted, it would be her head. Killed, undoubtedly her head. If </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> happened-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...To think this job had been so easy! At least she had some of the spoils on her back...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh....it's plenty necessary -ka...If you're going anywhere, it's like I said! I, the Ka Ninja, will be </span>
  <em>
    <span>joining</span>
  </em>
  <span> you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She would admit to herself that for a moment, the look of confused horror from Yuuma was worth it.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"In here- they'll leave us alone now that it isn't any of their business."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The smaller of the cloaked barians sounded young, Yuuma thought, following after her with a still grinning face. Very young, but she decided not to be worried about that for now. They went into a different 'pillar', larger at the base, with just as few entrances as any of the others. It was once they were inside, all three of them, that the entrance sealed shut- a smooth and formless wall appearing with out sound and fanfare whilst their guide moved to search among piles of fabric.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Like those 'knights' told you, we have a long trip ahead of us. We'll have to be careful how we plan it, but a little bit of planning will be worth making headway for you right?" Without waiting for an answer, the cloaked one nodded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then, Yuuma gasping from where she had been about to question Ka on why she was coming with now, she took the hood off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I...Imo-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If we're travelling together, we should know who the other is, right? My name is Iris," the girl introduced, Yuuma staring with wide eyes. Every bit of her face looked the same- just a bit younger, she thought. All that was different was the colour, and unable to stop herself she blurted that thought-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Imoshark..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Heh? ...Are... Is that your name, or..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka snorted, taking a crouching seat while she watched the 'show'. "Hn! This brat is Tsukumo Yuuma- who knows what she's talking about right now -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahh- that- You look like 'Imoshark'!" Yuuma insisted with the shake of her head. "Shark's sister! Umh...Rio! Right!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You can't even remember the person's name -ka..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Yuuma protested yet again, Iris simply blinked. After all- "I...see? ...I don't know who you're talking about at all..." she admitted, shaking her head. "Maybe it's a distant relative..? I don't really remember much about what family I had when I was alive after all, so it's possible someone carried on how I look..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O...Oh, right... ...mnnh...but you're even younger than I am," Yuuma noted, looking to the floor. "That means..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris frowned, her arms crossed momentarily. "There's nothing to worry about you know...it's been that way for at least 500 years after all. Maybe more- time is hard to track here. At this point, I'm much more 'Barian' than I've ever been human."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Saying that while still looking like that?" Ka snorted humorously, Iris sparing but a minute glance before shrugging and going back to the piles of cloth.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You've seen the knights. Most of the people here are like that- they all lived adult lives, had ideas... ...It makes them feel better," she admitted, the mosquito going silent as she studied the other. "I could probably get rid of this look after we left the village too, but..." There was silence, and after some rifling around she simply smiled and turned around. "...Well, there's other reasons too I guess," Iris determined vaguely. "But it's better than dealing with them isn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma, confused as ever, merely frowned. "I don't really get it but..." Well. "As long as there's nothing wrong, that's fine! What's important is getting to someone who'll get me home after all!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Exactly! And the first step to that...here." She handed Yuuma the bundle. "You need to put on a cloak- most Barians don't really wear clothes," Iris explained, Ka again snorting a laugh at the side, "But it's not uncommon for protection- and it's definitely less common than a human face."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A cloak? The girl blinked, and before she unfurled the bundle thought back to the last time she'd seen barian cloaks. "Heeehhh...is it something like those cool claw-hood ones I saw them wearing in Sargasso? They never wore them after that, I guess because earth isn't really that bad?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A slow blink, as the other two put together what 'claw-hood' meant. It sounded, Ka thought, like the decorative wear one occasionally saw more well-off Barians in the Gold Lands wearing but...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris stared. "Ahhh...nothing that fancy," she finally said with a small smile. "It's more like mine?" Yuuma finally unfolded the bundle, and soon enough started pulling it on. "One piece...you should be able to pull a cowl up from it, to hide your face..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Haaah, it's really covering..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's going to be the point after all..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmn, it's probably for the best if we're going through the desert. It's no place to be walking with soft fleshy limbs -ka, that's for sure..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Adjusting the cloak a bit uncomfortably, Yuuma finally turned once again onto Ka. "Why are you coming anyway? Earlier you were doing nothing but trying to send me back- and before that, you didn't want me alive at all!" she added, Iris stiffening at the announcement.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span>-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh please -ka! You think I'm lying about taking an oath? I've traded one job for another -ka- that's all there is to it. And if I can't </span>
  <em>
    <span>stop</span>
  </em>
  <span> you, I might as well get you as far out of my scales as possible!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnnhhh..." It looked as if, in the resulting silence, Yuuma wanted to believe the other. Really, truly believe.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And perhaps she did despite better judgement. Perhaps the motion to turn away if anything was the understanding that most </span>
  <em>
    <span>wouldn't </span>
  </em>
  <span>believe at this point.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris opted to interrupt. "If she's sworn on her soul, she's telling the truth at least- she won't be able to hurt you, if that was the bargain. Not without it rebounding on herself. If anything does happen though, just remember that I'm here too, okay?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ehh? But you're..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris simply smiled, in a way that reminded Yuuma far too much of the sister she'd compared the Barian to.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"H-Hih -!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnh, back on track then...we need to make sure we pack a lot of water and food for you, it's going to be hard thinking of how much humans need..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So what's in it for you then, -ka?" The pondering of packed goods was again put on hold as Ka hummed from her seat, focused on Iris. "First you act like you don't agree with anyone else here, now you're taking her all the way out -ka...what do you get out of it, huh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris paused, partway through the motions of getting a pack out and ready for filling. "...I'm tired of sitting and waiting," she finally said, smiling back in their direction. "So if one of you is going to go to the Lords, I'm coming with."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Haaaaah, alright..! So then we can both do what we need, and-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sitting and waiting -ka? For what? What kind of Barian has business with a Lord, anyway?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked. "Auh- but you just finished stealing my numbers for one of them, didn't you..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, -ka? And that means the point stands doesn't it? Anyone working with the Lords at this point, they should be against you shouldn't they? Kakakakakaaaa..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Watching the exchange in silence, Iris merely hummed and went back to packing. "It's nothing you need to worry about. Everyone here...they've all been waiting for some kind of signal, something that means we'll be able to 'move on'," she continued, ignoring yet another scoff from Ka behind her. "It's time for someone to talk to the Lords ourselves. That's all." While silence settled, Iris continued to fuss about the room- gathering stone vessels sealed with strange ashen 'cork', and bits of food including the sorts of berries Yuuma had seen at the start of her journey. "What is important, is making sure we have enough. The Goldlands are separated from us by a </span>
  <em>
    <span>massive</span>
  </em>
  <span> desert- one that takes days to travel through, assuming we aren't caught in a storm. We'll have to prepare for the worst if you're going to make it through," she explained, Yuuma scratching her head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnnh...if we keep going straight, it shouldn't be that much worse right? If there's no way to take shelter, we just have to press on!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Now that's idiotic if I heard anything...you're right to think moving does as good as staying put during those storms -ka, but we need to be more careful if we're planning to stay on course...be glad I'm stuck with you, or you'd both get lost in an instant -ka!" While Iris seemed more amused at the accusation, Ka stood up and stretched with a hiss. "Unlike you, in your human body or human mask, </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> body is perfect for navigating through that sort of thing -ka~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh- does that mean you can use those portals like the other Barians..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KAK-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Portals?" Iris blinked, looking suspiciously at the mosquito. "That's a pretty rare ability actually- I would expect the Barian Lords to be able to do that, but you..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey! What's that supposed to mean then -ka!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhh, so she can't after all..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course I can't, not now that-" She cut herself short, sputtering curses under her breath. "It doesn't matter! Even if both of us could -ka, where would that leave you then? Stuck in the sands on your own? Ridiculous!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It doesn't work for more than one person!? But when Shingetsu-" Ah. But Yuuma caught herself on that, first as she tripped on the reminder that Shingetsu had been Vector the entire time, kidnapping himself. And then, realizing that technically...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was one person. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The others simply watched, Iris the first to speak. "I don't know who this 'Shingetsu' is, but portals only work between either one person, or two who can use portals," she replied with a slight frown. "But we should have enough here to make the trip. Eating and drinking for us isn't really as necessary, but everyone here likes things to be normal- so we have a lot of stock."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kakakaka...what a waste," Ka snorted, ignored as Iris went on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Now then...how much would you say you normally eat in one sitting? I need to make sure to get it just right...it's still three meals a day too right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then, despite herself, despite everything that had happened until then, doubled into laughter on the spot.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The desert between them and the 'Gold Lands' that are their goal, are vast, and fuchsia. They gleam with a rusty red and orange shine, and the sun beats down without mercy. Yuuma found herself glad that Iris had insisted on the cloak- it was a merciful form of protection, and strangely cool despite the thick cloth. This was normal, or so Iris explained. Ka had merely snorted, commenting that she didn't have any need for such things.</p><p> </p><p>They didn't talk much when they first set out however- initially any conversation they had was focused on navigation. "We'll need to be going in this direction -ka," their 'guide' and resident 'adult' (though Yuuma wondered quietly if Iris being oldest made <em> her </em> the adult) pointing from a  crouched seat. "And we'll want to move at a steady pace. No running wild -ka. As long as we go straight, we'll hit the Golden Dunes, and then the first city itself. From there -ka, we can find some way to contact the Lord of the region... <em> somehow </em>," the mosquito snorted, rolling her eyes before they set off.</p><p> </p><p>The skies were clear, and the sun hot, but Yuuma couldn't feel especially upset about it all. For as long as the walking was, and as empty as the lands were once they made it a fair distance from the village Iris hailed from, the thrill of adventure into the unknown had her eagerly marching ahead. There was no true measurement of day to night- they stopped when Yuuma seemed to finally be on the verge of sleep, and waited until it was clear she had the energy to carry on again. At one point Iris had wondered if simply carrying Yuuma would be wiser, but Ka was quick to refuse; in her words, she'd get irritated, and end up dropping the girl.</p><p> </p><p>That was the excuse anyway.</p><p> </p><p>Sitting among the dunes, Yuuma often found herself catching sight of the mosquito staring off into the distance they were headed for with some unknown emotion in her eyes, saying nothing but grumbling protests when it came up. She wondered what it meant- if Ka wanted to stay in the desert as long as possible, or if she wanted it over with.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, a number of days into their travels, they began to see Gold. "HoaaaaaaaaAHHH! It's so much brighter..!" Gold, and even farther in the distance great arches of natural stone, layered and gleaming beneath the red sun. "So that's the 'Goldlands' you guys talked about?"</p><p> </p><p>Iris nodded, Ka busying herself with something in her hand. "It is- I've never seen it, but I've heard enough. We're about half way to the city!"</p><p> </p><p>"It really is gold looking..."</p><p> </p><p>"That would be why it's called the 'Golden Dunes' yes..."</p><p> </p><p>Yuuma shrugged, her hood re-adjusted as the sun beat upon them. "I couldn't be sure! You called where we were before 'Ashlands', but it was all purple-pink rocks and stuff! No dust and ash at all!"</p><p> </p><p>"Ka!" Ka, now finished with whatever she needed to focus on, snorted and rejoined the pair. "That's because it's named after the Lord in charge -ka. The entire reason we had to come out so far instead of going right to him you know..? After all -ka, if Vector wanted you gone..."</p><p> </p><p>Iris was strangely silent in the face of that, but Yuuma didn't notice- she herself had gone quiet as well, albeit with more evident confusion over her face. Vector had the Ashlands, so it was called 'Ash'...so then, if the Goldlands were named after the one in charge instead of the colour of the sand...</p><p> </p><p>"Ahhhhh...then that means Mizael..."</p><p> </p><p>"How am I not surprised you know of the Gold Lord's name, -ka..." The mosquito snorted, Iris watching curiously as Yuuma grimaced.</p><p> </p><p>"If it's Mizael, I don't think he'll want to help..."</p><p> </p><p>That drew their attention- albeit idly so. It wasn't as if there was anywhere to go <em>but</em> the Golden lands after all, not from where they were before. So they would hardly be off course, but...</p><p> </p><p>Ka laughed, sitting for the moment while Iris pulled out some food and passed it to Yuuma. Best to make this a lunch break, she had decided. "Kakaka! If it's any Barian Lord, they shouldn't want to -ka! What makes Mizael so much worse than anyone after Vector?"</p><p> </p><p>"Well..!" Yuuma hesitated, thinking back to the Barian Lords over all. "...Some of them were nice," she ultimately said quietly. "Alit, and Gilag at least..."</p><p> </p><p>"...The Red and Pine Lords..?"</p><p> </p><p>As Iris asked her question, Ka frowned. "At this rate, you'll name all of them -ka. Just how personally do you even think you know them!"</p><p> </p><p>"Well at least with those guys, I dueled each of them! Lots of times even!" she proclaimed, the others blinking in reply. "And they were great duels! Honorable duels, we..."</p><p> </p><p>But Yuuma trailed off, thinking back on the last times she <em> had </em> dueled them. In each of their ruins, their attitudes dark, cruel...</p><p> </p><p>"...the closest Lord is Mizael," Iris broke in eventually, a brow raised. "...But from there, both the Red and Pine lands are connected. ...I don't mind a detour. We should still keep to cities where we can so you can eat and sleep better, but my goal is the High Lord anyway."</p><p> </p><p>"Ka-! THAT ONE!? What on earth is your business with-"</p><p> </p><p>"Don't worry about it, and it won't affect you, neh?" Iris smiled sweetly, and Ka sputtered as a result. From there, she focused back on Yuuma. "The first meeting is ultimately to get you home though. The leader of the Barians as a whole should be your final resort...unless you know him too?" she added, studying the girl's response.</p><p> </p><p>Yuuma, almost immediately, frowned. "That would be...is that one Durbe? He's the only other one I've seen..."</p><p> </p><p>While Ka broke into sputtering laughs again, Iris merely shook her head. "...It isn't...but it looks like you haven't met two then- these really will be our only chances then," she hummed thoughtfully.</p><p> </p><p>"It would be good to know if you could pick between one or the other before we get moving though -ka...just how close are you to either of them, hm?"</p><p> </p><p>Yuuma thought to herself for a moment, on how all three- Mizael, Alit, and Gilag- had acted in the few times she saw them. She knew, vaguely, that Mizael had his own honor. The way he fought Kaito, taking on Sargasso's damage, was proof of that. Even if she barely remembered anything of that match except from her own end.</p><p> </p><p>But she also remembered what had happened to Jinlong's ruin. The stone as it collapsed, nearly killing them all.</p><p> </p><p>Gilag was similar- even worse. Gilag she had fought, and ironically fought when they could have perhaps been on the same side. He had wanted <em> Shingetsu </em> , she realized dully, eating her food in silence. <em> Vector </em>!</p><p> </p><p>But it was too late for that, and in the final moments that they had seen him, he'd been cruel, lying, and violent. Tricking them all, devouring Ponta's spirit on the spot. She wanted to believe that his words as Souhachi Kiraku had been true.</p><p> </p><p>It was hard, with what had followed though.</p><p> </p><p>Alit though... "If I duel him again...he'll definitely help," she said aloud, the others simply staring. "Alit...when we dueled at the ruins from his human life, he didn't remember anything," she explained. "...but then...I think he did, just a little. He looked...scared," Yuuma admitted, ignorant to the slow expressions of horror upon the other's faces. "...More scared than I ever thought he could be. ...but if I duel him again, he'll definitely feel better! He'll remember the hot blooded first match we had without Numbers on the line, and it'll be alright again!"</p><p> </p><p>The two were silent. Their expressions readable only as shock, though Yuuma assumed it was because of the closeness. That was something they had already remarked as strange after all, right? Eventually Iris' stare softened, while Ka looked away. "Right. So then, we aim for the Red Lord," she assured her with a smile. "We can restock in the city, and go from there."</p><p> </p><p>"Ka! We'll have to get some passes made...this won't be easy..."</p><p> </p><p>"I don't think a lot of this is easy, neh?"</p><p> </p><p>It was a longer journey now. A longer trek, when they hadn't even finished the original expected one. But with a plan ahead, and the assurance that they could, she somehow felt better than she had when she first started out alone on the beach, many days ago.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They waited until she was asleep.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Really asleep- not simply cracking one eye open, listening quietly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They hadn't yet reached the stones of the Goldlands proper of course, but they were now looming far in the distance, their shadows making their soon to be imposing height clear. For now, they took shelter on the open sand, thankful they'd avoided even the bare minimum of the worst the Ashland deserts had to offer. In a strange way, the magnet for trouble Yuuma seemed to have was also their own luck charm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neither said it aloud, lest they jinx it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For this however, they needed to talk.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So." So, Iris began, her voice quiet. "...What did you make of that?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The mosquito scoffed. "She's positively delirious. Everyone knows the Lords aren't the same as normal Barians -ka. They exist, and continue existing."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Do they now..?" Iris hummed, Ka hissing in reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What could it possibly mean, if the Lords had human lives -ka..!? They're as old as you, older even aren't they? Why wouldn't they have forgotten then -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Have I?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Details, at the least!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A few seconds ago, you didn't think they had human lives at all you know."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka snarled. "Well what else am I supposed to decide -ka!? Between you and that brat, there's more impossible tales every day!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Silence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If she's telling the truth, what are the chances that all of the Lords didn't even realize what they are?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! You'd have to be an idiot not to recognize the power you have..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not that. The things that came before. The things that let us carry on here to begin with. How can they be the Lords of a world of dead, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and not even realize we're the dead?!</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka stared, crouched in her seat. "...Mnnn....taking this personally, -ka...? You did say you had something to say to the High Lord..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris did not answer, instead crossing her arms. "...I don't know if I want Yuuma to be right. It would be so much better if she could go home for whatever is waiting for her- to her family, her friends. She's talked about so many of them now, I could almost have met them myself... ...but if she's right then what made the Lords so special to begin with? Why are they the ones with those ranks- why don't they know </span>
  <em>
    <span>at all</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There's probably more to it -ka. It's hardly anything that will affect us now, for that matter-ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was more silence, but ultimately not much to be done about it. Either Yuuma was right, and the Barian Lords were not what they thought, or she was wrong, seeing and interpreting incorrectly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"At the very least, if she's met them as many times..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...If she's encountered the Red Lord and lived more than twice, we can at least believe she'll be safe no matter what the truth is -ka. That's enough to get this over with don't you think?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right." Iris nodded- slowly, and then more firmly. "It's plenty."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They would press on.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Hhhhhggggghhhh...I can't wait until we're in that city place..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After days upon days of travel, even Yuuma's optimism had to fade. Initially, Ka had been amused- "Ka! Finally understand why no one bothers with this trip -ka? And it'd have been twice as fast if you weren't sleeping!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually however, the persisting pessimism was getting on everyone's nerves. "We're just a few days from the gates now," Iris remarked as they settled under a massive stone outcropping, the shade making it easier to cope with the idea of sleep. It was only barely something that couldn't be called a cave- lacking enough sides to truly provide shelter from the wind, but plenty enough to leave them in shadow. "We'll be able to find somewhere better to sleep once there, and probably find something to use as a sleeping roll too."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"'Something', anyway," Ka snorted. "Anyone travelling would be avoiding sleep as much as possible- if they did-ka, they'd be finding a good hole and hiding out there!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't care what I'm sleeping on, I just want to get rid of all this sand..!" The two turned, Yuuma's hood falling off as she started scratching furiously at her head. Flecks of red and gold that had gathered through the days scattered bit by bit from it, and with the hood no longer hiding her face they had to admit that she looked relatively miserable. That her hair had grown a bit over the course of the journey did not help at all. "Mnhhh...now I know why Akari always tells me to shower every day...it feels like I'm all covered in clay..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris grimaced openly, their taller companion humming thoughtfully. "Well, we still have a few days-ka...you'll just have to deal with it. You could probably take off your old clothes for a bit though-ka. Barian cloth is meant to repel things- your gross human things is definitely in that category, kaKAKAKAK- KA!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was cut off as a ball of fabric hit her in the face, Yuuma pouting from where she sat. While the cloak indeed kept most things from coming close, it hadn't saved her clothes from the consequences of being worn steadily over the course of a couple of weeks. The whites of her pants were stained with faded red and orange, the once brilliant 'moons' at the cuffs darkened with dirt. Her vest, while otherwise holding itself together well enough, had a similarly stained hood- to say nothing of the girl's shirt, which was now a fairly dull and ashy shade. For all that she herself was in fair enough health with the continued supply of food and water, it did nothing to help with the fact that she hadn't had access to anything for a shower since leaving for the Astral World.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oi! You-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's uncomfortable..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And if anyone sees you, that'll be the last of your worries -ka! Just swap the clothes!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"She has a point," Iris added helpfully. "I didn't think of this though...fresh water isn't a luxury really, but it's not really something that Barians...need, either," she admitted with a frown. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehh....so you guys don't feel itchy and sandy at all..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nope! Kakakakaka...see why you humans are so much worse -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka was ignored. "We don't really have human functions anymore," Iris explained. "Sweating, um...everything else you've had to stop to do.." While Yuuma flushed red, feeling oddly uncomfortable at the reminder, Iris carried on. "Actually, I'm not really sure where we would be able to get you something to clean up in. Normally I'd think a river, but the nearest one would be..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Bathhouses, -ka." Yuuma looked up from where she had now resorted to grumbling and shaking out her vest, lifting a few bangs from her face. "Water isn't a luxury, but hot water is -ka. And naturally, plenty of Barians love to indulge~! We just need to find a cheap bathhouse, and you'll be able to get everything clean." She paused, narrowing her eyes at Yuuma's clothes. "...of course, it won't stop them from getting dirty again -ka... ...and we're not going to be getting any better between trips between here and the Redlands either."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AAAH- You mean it's going to be a few weeks each time!? But that's way too long-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, we're still going to make it to 'Alit', neh?"  Iris assured, shaking her head. She stood, grabbing the cloak from beside Ka and bringing it back. "She's just saying you won't be able to take a bath regularly- but you knew that right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So then we just need to make sure it's not </span>
  <em>
    <span>as</span>
  </em>
  <span> bad. If you stick to the cloak and put these in a sack that should do plenty already," she remarked, nodding her head toward what Yuuma was wearing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma frowned, and then nodded. "Right..." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But even with that, she was silent. It wasn't that she didn't think it was a bad idea of course. If anything she was hopeful that it was the best idea. But...across the trip, with each time she'd dipped off to the side for a quick moment, she couldn't help but be distracted by certain things more and more. She hadn't thought of it much at home of course, but with everyone here, talking to her the way they were...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shirt already off, she found herself staring a bit at the ground. "...Hey... ...How come you guys..." She paused, the words stuck in her throat. If she brought it up, would they correct themselves? Did she </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> them to? She didn't think so, admittedly, and that was part of the hesitation in itself. "...How come you guys use...'she'? For me?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris was struck dumb for a moment, while Ka stared. She had been the one to see her outside of the realms after all, and one who knew what Yuuma meant. Ultimately the shorter of them spoke first. "Are...Are you not..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course she is -ka," the ninja countered, her voice strangely soft despite her gruff and prickly demeanor. "And that's why, for that matter. You're in a world of souls," Ka 'explained', watching Yuuma's confusion with a dull stare. "And even with your human body, everyone can see what your soul 'is'. Humans...ka! Your eyes are so damn limited, you know that?" she laughed. "The minute you woke up here -ka, it was your soul telling everyone what was standing in front of them! And even if someone tried to say otherwise -ka...the world wouldn't let them. Kakakakakaaaaa..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I'm just a little confused right now you know..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"EH?? You are!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KAAAAAKAKAKA! Of course she is brat, she hasn't had human eyes in 500 years! Unlike me, who only came here less than ten years ago!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're that young?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! I wanted my roots stable, -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aaaaahhh but that still doesn't make sense..! How does-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Because you are, -ka." The mosquito shrugged. "Do you think otherwise? The minute you really do -ka, we'll catch on and the world will correct us for you. That's how it works. Human eyes are limited- they can only see what's at the front. But dead eyes...those see the </span>
  <em>
    <span>truth</span>
  </em>
  <span>," she insisted, only to pause. "Mmmm...but I guess that's not quite right then -ka...It's more like the world is doing the work for you after all! When I was out in the world of the living -ka, I definitely made the same mistake everyone else you knew did..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma stared, stunned for a moment. So the reason they said that...was because it didn't matter how she 'looked'? If she thought about it, it was sort of weird that she could look at Ka and immediately think they were a woman. Not that she looked one way or another, but it was more like her first thought would be neither thing at all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Or so she tried to tell herself. It was hard enough to even have the idea at all- she had to think hypothetically, as if she were meeting an entirely different mosquito. Someone who looked </span>
  <em>
    <span>like </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ka she told herself, would be more androgynous, more 'masculine' even, she felt sure.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Ka herself was, well. Her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a strangely comforting thought, even if there was still plenty about her own state of being that felt uncomfortable. "So then..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The other two stared, Iris eventually turning around. "Well, we can talk more about it on the walk when you wake up again right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hn! That's right -ka. You're the one who said you were tired after all! Little brat girls need to sleep, kakakaka...."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmhmhmhm...We won't look while you change, but pass me your clothes once the cloak is back on okay? I'll put them in the pouch."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a strangely weird, strangely comforting series of thoughts blending and rolling together over all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As she ultimately pulled the cloak back on and laid down for sleep however, she couldn't help but feel like there was a least a little bit of weight off her chest though.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After three days, the walls of the city of Aurum were coming near. Iris checked, and double checked, and then triple checked that Yuuma's hood and cowl were properly in place, and she herself did the same as Ka casually led them toward the large rounded hole through the wall. While there was a barricade of some sort in place, the general mood of the strange, thorn-scaled being attending the booth next to it led one to believe that it wasn't especially necessary.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Particularly not when he sat up and addressed the mosquito by name. "Hoiiii, the Ka Ninja!? I haven't seen you in months, wondered if you died!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA! Hello to you too, Moloch!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Yuuma stared in silence the lizard-like barian- Moloch, apparently- seemed to whine, their mouth barely visible amid the spikes of their helm-like hair. "Well what else am I supposed to think! There has to be like five people in the Ashlands, and none of them are coming here!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe I missed your shifts then -ka, it's not like you're here every day!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"True, true...it's boring though, you know, there was only one guy between last time and this time? And- oi hey, these half-pints with you then?" he choked, finally spotting the cloaked children.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka shrugged. "We've got business -ka. You know how it goes. Do what you need for your 'processing' or whatever, walking through the desert is hell-ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'd believe it- I'm surprised you all look as good as you do, did you even run into a single sand skater?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What can I say -ka! I'm lucky."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The two were waved over, Moloch lazily tossing a crystal in the air and letting it float around the pair. While Yuuma flinched, Iris quietly searched around for the girl’s wrist- grabbing it, and tightly latching her fingers around until the taller felt her skin almost burn.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They went unnoticed, the gate-keeper continuing his conversation. "Right, don't move or whatever you two. Anyway, Ka, when did you ever work with people?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Since now obviously -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, yeah, but new ones even..? I mean I'm assuming, I'm assuming they're new, it's real rough working with the guys who went out young-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris turned from the 'scan', smile invisible but somehow felt all the same. "Is that so? What a shame that I'm the oldest then..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Er- Well I mean obviously if the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ka Ninja</span>
  </em>
  <span> is taking you lot on..." He gestured through the air, and then sighed. "I mean I guess you're right huh," Moloch drawled, turning to Ka once more. "Can't really judge by that anymore these days. That guy I mentioned, he must've been fresher than these two you know? Came right in the middle of a sandstorm, looked real pissed-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Seriously? Hn!" Moloch, Ka couldn't help but think, was a useful guy. If at least because of all the information leaking out of his jaw. "If it was a sandstorm, then no wonder -ka, first you die then you have to walk through a desert?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That and the interesting conversation. "More than that I'd bet, he looked like he got on the wrong end of a wyrm- half his bloody face was gone, probably would've taken an age to patch up...barely got him to stay put for the scan honestly..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Seriously, it was juicy. "Hn! Well, if he survived that he'll probably survive the rest of this place then -ka..." A beeping met the air, and the crystal snapped back to Moloch's hand. While he seemed to eye it curiously, holding it up under the light, he ultimately relented.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris, meanwhile, released Yuuma's wrist as the burning feeling faded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hnnn. Well, everything's in order, three from the Ashlands, set to...visit? You're just visiting right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Obviously -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Geeze I can never understand that. You know we'd take you right? It's not like we're the Pine Lands, or hell, the Slate Lands, we all get how bloody horrid Ash is-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And we're still visiting-ka! Alright brats, we're going in," Ka hummed, the stones of the barricade sinking in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Heh, that easy?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If you call me a brat again Ka, you're going to find out what someone fifty times your age can do..~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rolling her eyes, Ka simply ignored that and carried on. "Sure, sure -ka...now let's move it, I can guess exactly what you're about to ask, and I want it over with sooner instead of later -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oi, Ka, do you think they have someone who can..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Moloch listened as their voices faded, watching the three for as long as it took before the stones rose up again and finally blocked them from hearing. Clearing his scanner idly, he finally stretched, groaned, and sighed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahhhh...bugger, now it's back to staring at the sand for another week."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Guard work really was the worst.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ka was counting herself lucky that they got themselves out of the guard's earshot before Yuuma finished her sentence. As much as he was a great source of a yarn and some info (not that she felt like she got anything but an amusing tale this time), that in itself was a double-edged sword. She had no doubts they'd be chatting about 'that mosquito from the ashlands picking up help', or something like that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ugh, absolutely a pain. But as it was there was work to be done.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oi, Ka," Yuuma had been saying while she ushered the two forward, "Do you think they have someone who can cut hair?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka-! You're seriously asking that?" Ka hissed, voice low as they walked through the tunnel. They were fortunate that the walls of Aurum were so thick- the city itself, while not the capital, was far more populous.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>From here on out, it would be a true challenge to keep things underwraps.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Especially with statements like that. "It's gotten annoying..." Yuuma complained, tugging at her hood. "It's better short, you know?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnh, the problem is Yuuma, Barians don't generally have hair I don't think..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's not a think, it's a 'don't'- any hair there is, isn't the same at all. Barians are energy beings-ka, what do you think that means for our hair? We already don't have to eat and sleep..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Heh! You mean there's no one after all..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eugh..." The mosquito rubbed between her eyes, sighing. "Look- if it's such a pain, we can tie it back-ka. For now we still have to find an affordable bathhouse you know- not to mention somewhere you can sleep without drawing attention-ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before Yuuma could protest, Iris tapped her shoulder encouragingly. "I'll see if we can't get something to do it ourselves," she promised, winking. "It might be until we leave the city again, but it's better than nothing neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh!! Seriously!?" Within an instant, the gloomy mood was gone. "Yosh! Thanks Iris..~!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's nothing..~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Whatever you two are talking about, hurry it up -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahh, right..!" They jogged ahead, catching up just as they came to the exit of the tunnel- the brilliant and contrasting light briefly covering what sights awaited them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We have two....no, three stops to make -ka. First, we're finding somewhere for sleep- that will be where we regroup later-ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Regroup..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Heh? Ka, we're splitting up? I thought you wanted-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Let me finish -ka..! After that, bathhouse. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>will be going to the third point alone, got it -ka? I need to get us passes..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Passes..?" While Iris nodded in agreement, Yuuma simply blinked. "Oi, are those like passports? ...Why do we need passports?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took a bit of herself to keep herself in check. Ultimately, she determined that if she didn't explain it here, she would probably ask someone else- and she doubted that Iris had the answer. Stooping down, the light outside the tunnel haloing around her silhouette, she narrowed her eyes. "I will explain this </span>
  <em>
    <span>once</span>
  </em>
  <span> -ka. If there is anything you don't know? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Pretend you do.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Asking questions here -ka, will get you caught. Too many questions, and you'll be caught right away-ka! If you want to get home, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you need to blend in.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I- I already knew that..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Then you'll listen to what I say next. You're lucky enough that no one heard you ask about hair -ka; whatever you expect to make sense, it won't, and you need to keep your voice down! Got it-ka?" The ninja paused, and straightened with a sigh. "The other regions of Barian aren't like the Gold ones- The Goldlands, psh, they border on pretty much everything -ka. Red, Pine, a little sliver of Slate...but they're also the only thing between everything else, and the Ashlands-ka. And if we're putting it nicely -ka, the Ashlands are about as pleasant as their lord would make you think..! KAkakakaka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Yuuma swallowed, Ka carried on- arms crossed as she did so.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The point is, the Ashlands are the worst of them all, if you don't include the ones our great and purple kingly one runs, kakakaka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh? He's purple?" While Iris shrugged, so too did the mosquito.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, so I'm told! For all I know he could be ridiculously tall and look like some kind of dragon- it would be just our luck, wouldn't it -ka, being under the thumb of something so stupidly huge!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm pretty sure that's not it..." Iris sighed, ignored as things carried on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! The point is, the Goldlands will let whoever comes running through that desert in as long as they're not planning anything big- everyone else is more choosey, so we need passes -ka! The Lords might not care about whatever goes on," she cheered, finally walking through the light as the others followed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And for a moment, Yuuma almost missed what Ka said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...But ka! Doesn't it figure -ka, we've got a bunch of self-made Kings and Queens running the show under their noses."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With Ka's words the light cleared, Yuuma blinking stars out of her eyes as she stared. Unlike the barren, empty regions they had walked through, even the ones where people lived, this place was </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The walls were gleaming yellow, with rooftops not unlike what she'd seen at Jinlong's 'ruin'. She could see various Barians- people with the appearance of all sorts of creatures, or even something stone encrusted- walking by or chatting among themselves for sales.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Caught up in her awe, she almost lost track of what Ka was saying. "...sier than normal," she was muttering, narrowing her eyes. "Hm. Must be something agitating things -ka. Right- follow me," the mosquito huffed, glancing around as she re-oriented herself. "I'm not in the mood to chase after you if you wander off -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a shame that she had said that, Yuuma couldn't help but think.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wandering off was</span>
  <em>
    <span> exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> what she wanted to do at this point.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The more they walked, the more there was for Yuuma to stare at and take in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The pounded dirt roads, hardened into something as smooth and as clean as marble.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The scents of cooking food, maintained at so few stands, yet so prominently displayed as clacking stone tapped against displayed menu prices, strange spiralling herbs hanging beside the occasional animal shaped 'gem'. She assumed it was a gem, at least- the stone, as she passed it, allowed the barest hint of light to come through, glistening through the veins and casting dancing patterns upon sheer white stall counters.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And there was far, far more than</span>
  <em>
    <span> food</span>
  </em>
  <span>- other stands held things such as swaths of fabric, hanging and draped between stalls and sewn with intricate patterns. Others she could see were hemmed not unlike the robes of the Barian Lords, ridged with metal and gold, stone practically grown right into it. It was incredible, truthfully- as they walked, crossing over a bridge above a river that could not have possibly existed naturally, flowing with gentle rose water and topped with crystal lillies as fish-like 'snakes' with fins like wings swam beneath, everything seemed </span>
  <em>
    <span>brighter</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The sunlight had not changed, but with all the gold and white around them, it seemed more inviting than she could have imagined.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And this, she reminded herself, was Mizael's Realm. The same Mizael who had attacked on sight, ruined so much-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>This</span>
  </em>
  <span> was his realm. With intricately carved railings, in colours ranging from gold to white to even a hint of green amid the fuschia, the light shining just carefully through. With dangling decorations, set in place by floating or flying barians to simply Be there. There was an undeniable desire and care for the appearance of everything within the city- an aura of 'want' that came with simply 'creating', in what few streets Ka led them down.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were pleasant streets- streets that branched off the way Heartland's did, to darker paths that she herself did not clearly see- places where the shadows grew intense, shrouded in violet as if drowned beneath water. It was hard to even think about those, when surrounded by all of the gold. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Everything's so bright..." she gasped with awe, only barely following along.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Too bright if you ask me -ka. It's because the only ones who can stand it are the ones who can throw energy around like gold! Be glad we're not going </span>
  <em>
    <span>beneath</span>
  </em>
  <span>," she chuckled, a low laugh crackling through the air. "Or at least you won't be, -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris caught onto that immediately, eyeing Ka with the same suspicion she typically did whenever the mosquito was about to drop a subject without any more clarification. "So </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>will then?" she asked, Ka simply narrowing her eyes at the girl.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"To get the passes, yes. But that won't be where either of</span>
  <em>
    <span> you</span>
  </em>
  <span> two go -ka! Where you two are going..." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She trailed off, the group coming through to what looked to be a garden. It was, at the least, the best guess that Yuuma had. Coiled growths of gold rose upward, and strings of jewels hung down to blanket the ground under in gentle patterned shade. The ground itself, while not at all the same as the paths they'd taken, was blanketed impossibly in soft stone- she knew, because while Ka led them onward, she stopped to touch it with her hand, marvelling at the cool and glassy feel of it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Realizing that Ka had not said anything more, she looked up and gave a nervous laugh. "Aheh... ...I just-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Forget about it -ka...just hurry up, because this is the place! You're lucky I got so much from my last job -ka, or you'd be stuck sneaking into the river!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That, naturally, drew a set of dry looks. "Your last job..." Iris drawled, Yuuma puffing her cheeks from behind her cowl.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oiii! You mean the one that got me here in the first place..?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes yes, it's all my fault -ka! It's good we have so much time isn't it, if you have so much to get out of your system -ka! Now-" A warning look was passed as she approached the door, tapping a stone at the doorway to the building they'd approached. Linked to the walls surrounding the garden, it both was and wasn't reminiscent of the temples Yuuma had occasionally seen near Heartland. It seemed tiered, even- massive walls and even pillars supporting stacked rooftops, from which a few banners and lanterns hung. It looked almost like a small palace she thought, and it was then that she realized Ka was handing Iris a pouch.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Giving me pocket change are you..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The mosquito scoffed. "It'll be stranger if I set it up for you -ka. These places aren't as fancy as it gets, but it's still a luxury for a reason -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris hummed, tossing the bag up and down in her hand. "I see...and just how do you know all of this anyway?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AH- Yeah, that's right! You keep talking about all the things you don't have to do, so why..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I can treat my sister to a spa day if I want -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"After a trek through the desert right..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The mosquito still flustering, she huffed and carried on. "Look! Just listen to what I tell you, and go from there -ka! You want a private bath- you brats are small enough that it won't seem strange -ka, they'll either think you're young, or just died young," she huffed, ignoring the frowns from the 'young' and 'young dead' in question. "There should be plenty for both of you, but keep an eye on what you pour that into. If there's a bit to spare, then good -ka! The last thing you need to do is run </span>
  <em>
    <span>out</span>
  </em>
  <span>!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I see...so we can add to whatever we're getting as long as we watch that then..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnh, I just want a bath right now..." Yuuma grumbled, Iris chuckling in turn.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"They'll probably offer a meal too -ka; most of the barians coming here to relax, they want the full experience -ka. That means energy- take advantage of it, -ka, one of you needs it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Only probably?" Iris blinked as Ka tilted her head and frowned, the smaller of them nodding. "Mmmn, right."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I guess Ka doesn't look like she really has a mouth..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oi! That's not the point -ka! Anyway, I'll meet you back here -ka; with passes, and a spot for sleep."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And if we're done first?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Ka twitched, Yuuma found herself watching between the two with a strange curiosity. It seemed to her, at least, that what was happening here wasn't unlike when Rio wanted something from Shark.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She suspected that whatever it was Iris was after, Ka would be giving it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a few moments, Ka fumed and grumbled, before stooping down to whisper something. She then at last stood, still muttering obscenities under her breath. "There, -ka! You have your address! Not that you'll be needing it! If you do, you're going to be waiting outside, got it -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What, you don't trust us in there?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You, I trust plenty -ka! It's her!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma's attention was now officially revived. "HUH!? What do you mean 'it's me'!?" she protested, only for Iris to turn her toward the entry way and through the open doors. "O-Oii!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Ka laughed and hurried off, Iris simply reassured the girl yet again. "Don't worry about it Yuuma, it's nothing..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That just makes me worry more!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"In that case, let's just think about a nice warm bath neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suffice to say, that did not actually help Yuuma's mood, and it took greeting the bath house owner before she could properly cool off.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The Barian maintaining the bathhouse was unlike any she had seen before- including the numerous others that they had passed in the streets on the way there. If she were a more socially aware person, she would have been glad to have the hood and cowl to hide her reaction- as it was, her jaw hung open behind the fabric, wide eyes hidden by the shadows of what she wore.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"One private bath, that should be fine...let's just weigh this out now...is there anything extra you want..? We have many polishes available...some infusions for any cracks you might have, so that they patch up with more shine..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ultimately, if Yuuma could even hear what was being said she'd be even more confused, but while Iris assured the woman that they were fine simply taking the basic package with some extra food and drink, the girl just continued to stare. She was almost glass in appearance- no legs to speak of, instead 'standing' upon a somewhat short, rounded base that made her think of snails and slugs. Were it not for the stumpy arms held in front of her in a polite fold, she would have assumed as much in fact. Instead, her mind supplied, she was probably supposed to be a caterpillar- her face mask-like with glazed and drooping eyes, as various rounded spikes and tendrils waved off from her back. Around her, somehow, was a gold wrap- the fabric hemmed with violet, reflecting the colours off and even through the barian's body.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It occurred to her, perhaps, that this was probably not even the strangest person they were going to meet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked, and abruptly realized Iris was looking at her. "Eh-! Ah, Iris-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"She's showing us the bath- try not to zone out until you're in the water, neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A-Aaaah, right!" she coughed, following after. "Sorry-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We have a lovely room over here..." the hostess was explaining. "This is the 'Jade' room...we'll have your food here in just a moment..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pausing to look at the two oddly, the barian nodded. "...it is my pleasure..." She then turned, leaving down the hall as the girls walked in- door closing behind them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once they were alone, Yuuma was quick to look over for the bath- it was a simple room, being intended for one or two people. The bath itself was sunken into the floor, carved from it even, and shaped something like a four-leaf clover. A small table could be seen at the side with seats for them, and at the opposing side were towels, and various bottles- or at least, she thought they were probably bottles. They could easily have been mistaken for carved decorations.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not wanting to pay much more attention to the room without getting into the water, Yuuma immediately moved to grab the end of her cloak, only for Iris to grab her. "HUH-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wait!" Iris hissed, looking toward the door. "They have to bring the food in yet!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The foo- "Oh! Right..!" Right, she couldn't be seen human by anyone... "I'll just wait I guess..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It probably won't take that long at least, if they're supposed to be a place of relaxation..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnnh, I really want to get in the water though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just as Yuuma said as much, something began to mist upon the table. Choking, Iris hurriedly moved in front of the girl, eyeing the thing warily. Before their eyes, dust gathered up from the stone- gathering and coalescing until a jar, a pitcher, a set of glasses, and various other eating utensils appeared. Staring in silence, neither said anything for a number of moments.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then, finally, Iris and Yuuma both laughed. "PFffff..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hhahahahhaa...! They can teleport food..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I...I didn't even know that was possible actually..! Well..!" She shook her head, moving to stretch and sit on one of the chairs. "You just enjoy yourself for now then- I'll wait here..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh? You're not coming in too Iris..? Even though you..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris shook her head, simply watching as Yuuma tossed her cloak to the side and hurried to the water- hissing a bit when the temperature surprised her but otherwise sinking in with a relieved sigh. It wasn't really the same as taking a bath at home, given she had to get clean in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hot</span>
  </em>
  <span> water, but it wasn't as if the barians needed to do that apparently.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Which of course, seemed to be Iris' reasoning. "We got this so you could  get clean, not so we could relax- besides," she added, wrinkling her nose, "You've needed one for weeks, I don't really want to think about how the water is going to be in a few minutes."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HAH!?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Let's just talk about other things, neh? Like how we have a hair cut to give you later? Or how you're going to greet the Red Lord when you finally see him? Things like that, neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As expected, it was easy to get Yuuma distracted- and while there was a pause while she ducked under to soak her hair, Yuuma was quickly up and grinning. "Right..! You said you were going to get scissors or something..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I did. I'm not really used to cutting hair though, so you're going to have to help me..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's fine! It's easy- just nice and short at the back, with my bangs going up, and some hair at the side-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh- Yuuma, that might be better to explain when we're cutting it actually..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aaaah- right..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris chuckled, and shook her head. "Don't worry about it...at the very least I'll be able to get it cut before we reach the Red Lands probably. We're pretty far away..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To this, Yuuma had to pause. "Mnh...right. Where we are now, it's supposed to be right at the edge of the last place we were...so if it's a whole country, then probably..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded. "I didn't get a good look at any maps, but I did catch sight of one hanging at a stall as we passed...if Ka doesn't have an option for something other than foot travel, we'll be going city to city just to make sure we can even supply the trip for the next few weeks." The girl paused, and after a few moments of silence studied the girl before her. She was almost entirely sunk into the rose water now, the steam rising gently as the girl hid part of her face in it. Her hair, finally freed of most of the grime, hung limp and flat against her scalp, and while the water looked no dirtier than it had started, even Yuuma's face was clearly cleaner and healthier.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quite unlike her mood, Iris thought, frowning.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...It's so long," Yuuma finally said, her travel companion wondering just what she could even say. "...Everyone...everyone at home thinks I've gone to the Astral world...but what if they think that's where I still am? Or that I didn't even go to see them after I came back, or..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris cut her off there. "...You care about them all, don't you?" she asked, Yuuma jumping at the question.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O-Of course!! Of course I do, so-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Then do that thing you keep telling us to do, neh? 'Kattobing'. They're all your friends right?" Iris added, Yuuma staring with wide eyes. "So as your friends...when you do go back, they'll believe it when you tell them what happened."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a swallow, Yuuma remained silent. But in the end, it was impossible to keep a smile from coming back to her face. "Right... ...Right! I'll kattobing my way to Alit, and to Astral, and to home then..! All the way..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Good." And with a final smile, Iris hummed. "....Mmm, but first, getting clean and eating up right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AAAH! Right! Right!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It really shouldn't have surprised Ka that they finished before her.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Dinner- or at least, Yuuma was calling it dinner since it was the third meal of the day and she'd probably be feeling tired in another hour and a bit- was far more spectacular to behold than the standard berries and crystal jerky that she'd been eating through the trip across the desert.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had reminded her somewhat of Jinlong's stew- or at least, what little she'd seen of it before they were swatted off and found themselves in a duel. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The broth in this case however was darker- almost black on one side, while simmering in a beautiful golden hue on the other end. There were noodles that looked almost glassy, various strange mushrooms of unique shapes, and she thought she even recognized a few of the spiralled herbs from the earlier stalls.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She finished it easy, and with a grin, kicking her feet as she did so with the towel wrapped around her. "Wuuuuaaaaaaah...it's just as good as it looked...no, even better than it looked..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh, you're all finished it then?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma grinned, turning to Iris and abruptly pausing. "Yeah! I- ...Eh? Are those..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris held up the clothes Yuuma had discarded earlier in the journey, now much cleaner seeming than before. There was no removing the faint tinge of rose from the whites unfortunately however- such was the consequence of the water, which the barian found herself voicing aloud. "I had a feeling you'd forgotten we would have to wash these...I...don't think we're going to get the stains out though," she admitted. "...Unfortunately, most water in Barian isn't really clear...not that it really dyes most of the time, but your fabric isn't especially made for resisting it either. It's all... ...what on earth is it actually? I don't think I've ever felt wool come out like this..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You mean...my jeans? I think the tag is supposed to say..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Cott...on..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right, that!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't know what that is though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah..." Well. Yuuma shrugged. "It's alright anyway. I've got more sets back home! What matters is that they're not sandy, and I can wear them again!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl nodded, but rather than hand the clothes back moved to set them in their pack. "Mmhm. It's probably best not to do that now though- if you wear them too constantly, we'll have the same problem again right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a good point- not a great one, but one that Yuuma herself understood enough to grimace at. She wasn't fond of the idea of going through that again. "Y...yeah...good point..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a smile, Iris was at least able to cast aside the issues for something else. "Well, it won't be for that much time at least right? If we can map ourselves a route with enough stops near water, you'll definitely be able to wear what you want under that thing. To do that though, we'll have to find out buzzing navigator, won't we?" she laughed, Yuuma unable to keep from snorting at the description.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kggfg- Right..! But...Ka didn't tell us where she was going..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris' smile did not fade. "No, she didn't- in fact, while she gave me an address I'm pretty sure she expected me to be unable to find it...but what she didn't know, is that I have a few tricks up my sleeve..~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh? ...Tricks?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmhmhmhmh...let's just say that if I need to get somewhere, I can find my way to it, neh? It's something I picked up on over time. As long as I think hard enough about how we need to get to that address, I'll get us there. So- shall we?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Iris gestured toward the door, Yuuma nodded. "Mnh! Right! Let's go find Ka then! Kattobing- !"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh- Yuuma, watch the hood!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was fortunate at least, that they hadn't opened the door yet. As it was, Iris couldn't help but wonder for a moment, on the benefits of investing in some clips.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>As they walked the roads of the city again, it was easier not to be overwhelmed by the beauty. She followed casually behind Iris, the shorter of them pausing every now and then to think on which direction to go. If any of them were to consider that Ka might have taken another route and reached the bathhouse by now, it would have been the barian- so unfortunately, the idea didn't even cross either one's mind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hang on, does that mean... ...no, it can't..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh? Iris..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris frowned, looking toward an alley that led toward the wall. It was dull, as other alleys had been. The shadows ominous, carrying a strange sense of dread with them. It was only then however, that Yuuma realized there was a door at the end, the symbol of an arrow above it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Frowning still, Iris moved toward it. "The address I was given was 'Red Arrow 3'. It follows the pattern of other buildings here...they're numbered, with a symbol above the doorways," she explained, Yuuma running after her. "But I don't think there are any arrows above ground," she muttered, her companion blinking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Above...hehh? You mean there's a whole city under us..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Unaffected by her surprise Iris nodded- and carefully, she reached out to Yuuma with her hand. "...I didn't really think Ka was this literal about 'beneath'. A lot of things here are of course, but..." She trailed off, looking to the girl. "...Take my hand. If I have to do anything, you need to be holding on."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Trust me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She didn't understand- not at all, but ultimately there wasn't much reason to argue either. Yuuma reached over and took the girl's hand, and together they thus entered the doorway of the 'arrow stairs'.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The change, even at the steps, was immediate. Right away she could feel a chill, shuddering as Iris held firm. It felt as if something were crawling at her back, a blade of cold coming near to her throat. The stones within the stairwell, unlike those outside, were dark. Almost black she thought, reminded hollowly of the soup she'd had. Threads of toxic green lit the way downward, and occasionally she thought she saw the marks of arrows within them as well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris tugged at her hand however, and so Yuuma came down with her. Down, down into the depths, until at last they could see the exit and come out into the remaining city.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If, Yuuma thought, it was truly a city at all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The entire construction of the place seemed to have grown out from the ground itself- the stones rough and raw, bearing fearsome carvings of beasts crawling out from the rock-work. They were dark and looming, accents of green or gold only serving to make things seem cooler and darker, and where the above had been bustling the underbelly of the city could best be described as cramped and clogged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Canals could be seen below as she walked, unable to shake the ever looming feeling of dread over her- the water below was a thick violet that almost blended with the black, and occasionally she swore she saw eyes within it. It was a polar opposite of the above- and what was more, she could not help but see </span>
  <em>
    <span>arrows</span>
  </em>
  <span> at every turn. Carved in sets, pointing one way or another, they covered the entire city and its stacked, 'grown' stone buildings, the lights within not unlike burning coals. Occasionally, the barians there would turn their way.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After one looked for just a bit too long, just long enough that Yuuma began to feel her heart race, the same burning sensation from outside at the gates came over her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"E...Eh..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She realized in that moment that there were tears in her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Iris..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Shh," she was ordered, pulled off as quickly as Iris could manage. The burning sensation didn't cease, but off they ran all the same. Through spiralling, winding streets, the stones rough and even fragmented in places, with what almost looked like small spears jutting out at points. "Just trust me!" Iris hissed, still running. "And keep quiet!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The burning persisted. They ran, but Yuuma's words were caught in her throat as they went, eyes wide and barely taking in their surroundings now. Arrows, she saw. One, two, ten, so many arrows, and she swore for a brief instant that there was something important about that, about that, about Mizael, about-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Found it," Iris announced lowly, the two breaking from their run in an instant. And abruptly Yuuma's eyes cleared, widening as she beheld the building before her. Carved from the rock it was, but not in such a way that it was 'grown'. While indeed there were pillars that could have been trees of stone, the entire building's face had if anything been forced through the ground's wall itself, creating space where none had been. Four red arrows lined the top of the doorway, and despite the ever persisting chill and fear on the air, there was a somehow welcoming aura from the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The burning stopped. Yuuma blinked, and looked down to Iris. "Y...You..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll explain inside, neh?" The girl smiled- seeming tired, but otherwise fine. leading her inside, still holding her hand, the smile did not drop. "...for now, this building will be safe."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The doors closed in behind them, and Iris did not let go.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The inside of the building was far more pleasant to look at, and even be in, compared to the outside. When they arrived it was to a chamber lit dully by rose and fuschia lanterns, floating in the air with no support. The floors, walls, and ceiling even seemed to be from the same cut stone, glimmering softly with the colour. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ahead was a simple reception desk, a golden crystal haloing the barian seated at it. As they approached she looked to the two and paused- her long tube-like snout pointed downward like a trunk, various gems lining her ruby form gleaming with the many fins and 'feathers' that seemed to come off like hair. "My my," she eventually spoke, clearly choosing to lean amusement more than concern. "Just look at what arrows have been shot into our doors." The barian stood- her arms soon revealed to be long, slender things, reaching almost to the ground. She stepped around the table and easily reached so close to them that Yuuma nearly stepped back, spared only by the barian's own hesitance. One could have dropped a pin, and even that sound wouldn't have met their ears-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But the barian quickly drew back, the long gown around her form trailing behind her until it smoked into nothing. "I-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris squeezed Yuuma's hand, and their 'host' chuckled. "Hnhnhnhnhn...don't be so alarmed...but my, aren't you both young. It's rare enough that such small things come here for services but....mmm..." Despite lacking any lips, or even a mouth to speak of, she seemed to smile, light glistening from her round eyes. "I'm afraid at least one of you is a little </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> young for that...and more than that," she sighed, fingers tapping her cheek, "It would seem you've come for something else regardless..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Both of them drew back at that. "Y...How did you know..?" Iris managed, Yuuma looking between the two with wide eyes. "How did you know that at all..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmmm...I've worked- no, more accurately, lived here, for a very long time," she explained, leaving little context to the words. "You could say that I have eyes for these things...and a little more, as well. But don't worry about that- you'll be safe in here, after all. I'm actually almost surprised you made it this far..." the barian added, turning toward Iris. "You have impressive power...considering your age."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Unable to keep herself quiet, Yuuma choked. "Ah- You know how old-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I would say...just before the Lords were placed upon the realms," the barian carried on, Iris shaking in place now. "Would I be right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was not shaking with anger, Yuuma realized dully. It was with fear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"About...500 years ago yes? ...There aren't many of us from before then...we're easy to stamp out, if we try anything after all, but mmm...that doesn't mean there aren't some..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O...Oi..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's still not quite old enough for tricks like yours my dear. What would I see I wonder...if I took down your hood?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oii! Stop that!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barian did indeed stop- if only because as she looked to the one shouting, the cowl had fallen. Staring for just a moment, she seemed pleased enough to stand and stand back farther, enough to let Iris speak.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That... ...That's none of your business," she managed, even as the words strained. "Shouldn't I ask you how you've lived longer than that? How much longer you've lived..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a pause. "Hm. Perhaps, yes...but then perhaps, we can get right to business instead...you came here...for shelter perhaps? An odd place to find it, even if you press for the law of necessity," she hummed, words confusing Yuuma more and more. "No...perhaps..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We..." Yuuma looked to Iris, and ultimately forced herself to speak. "We came here to meet up with someone we're travelling with..! She said she was coming here for 'pass' things!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Passes..." Before Iris could scold Yuuma for her loose-lipped attitude, the barian moved toward the desk- running her hand along its edge as her back turned to them. "Yes...perhaps...she looked like this?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She turned- and as motes of red misted off and around her face, Yuuma gasped. Looking to them now was not the strange, stone carved sea dragon's snout, but instead the long, metallic proboscis of the mosquito they'd come to know. With wide goggle-like eyes, and jagged spiked 'hair'. That was-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"K- KA..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even Iris was stunned, and with the wave of a hand and a wash of violet, the barian's face was her own. "Indeed... I believe I can help you to see her right now then," she chuckled, arms drifting lazily at her sides as she turned to move behind the desk. "Follow me, hmm?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was hesitance. Not from Yuuma but instead Iris, and as Yuuma looked back the barian simply chuckled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hnhnhnhn....nervous, little one..? There's no need to be...every word I speak to you, is truth. Your friend has been in conversation with my partner and employer for some time...perhaps your involvement will turn the tides..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This, if anything, made Iris hesitate more. But now it was Yuuma's turn to give her a squeeze of the hand, pulling the shorter one's attention to her. "Oi. You said it yourself, right? We'd be safe in here?" Iris looked uncertain now, as if for all she could have predicted, it had been none of this. "So what's the problem? Kattobing, right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Silence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ultimately however, there was no protest as Yuuma led her forward this time, holding tightly and nodding to the barian as they were led behind the wall of the reception desk.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Yuuma could not keep from asking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"....What did you mean...before the 'Lords' were put in their places?" Placed there, rather, but then Yuuma was never quite one to remember things and repeat things so precisely.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris was silent, and again seemed fearful beside her- the barian however simply hummed as they walked silently through the hall, which seemed to shine and glimmer the way an ocean surface would, rounded into a tube. "The Barian Lords have not always existed here, little one- though you would have troubles finding many to tell you how life was before that. The lands before...even I have trouble recalling them. The years have been long- I've gathered power in one way, and lost it in many many others."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She smiled- that strange, mouthless smile once again- and glanced back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Did I not say you had nothing to fear here..? My power doesn't lie in brute force. I could do no more harm to you....than a fly, a great lion."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Confused, Yuuma pressed on. "But then..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There is a story that we have, from close to the time of the Barian Lord's establishment- of a lost colony, a cloud of spirits unable to leave into the next life. It's what happens after all- even Barians don't live forever. One way or another...accidents, incidents happen...one way or another, we all eventually pass on." Iris was cold beside her, but as they came to a small hole within the tube-hall, their host gestured for them to go in. "...But I'll leave you two to talk about that yourselves...I know what I need, after all. It seems that at last, things are changing up a little bit...how very...interesting," she hummed, watching as confusement filled Yuuma's expression. "Perhaps I'll hear word of your efforts later on...until then..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before they could say anything, she had turned in the hall to carry on her way, leaving nothing but a rose mist behind her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was silence. Nothing but the sound of her own breathing, and the breathing that Iris didn't likely need to make. Silence, as Iris slowly came to herself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Iris..?" They both entered the smaller 'hall', and as they walked, talking came slowly. "...Was she talking about..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't ask me," Iris finally 'answered', her tone quiet. "...Don't ask me what I don't want to answer."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked, staring in the dull light. "...Then..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I thought I knew things about this place," Iris said softly. "I thought I knew plenty. Plenty enough from things I heard through passersby and wisps in the wind. ...But I don't know anything at all do I?" she continued, quiet weeping filling her words. "The people that came before me...before everyone...the place this must have been before then...I have so much farther to go, but if I'm seen, and caught, I can't imagine it would end well! I told myself I had an advantage- it was why I felt ready to leave! But more questions keep coming. More..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But...you're still plenty strong, aren't you?" As Yuuma protested, she carried on, her voice filled with only confidence. "You were still able to get us down here- and you </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> know things, even things Ka doesn't know..! So what if you don't know everything..! You can do stuff like that weird burny thing, and you think of the stuff I forget to worry about..! You make ideas really fast, so why do you think you weren't ready then..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris stared.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And Yuuma carried on. "You're cool, you know..? So who cares what that pipe-nose lady said..! And if you're worried that someone worse than them will see you, and cause problems...then we'll just kattobing, and handle it then! But you said you were tired of waiting! That everyone else just wanted to stay there forever until some other guy appeared! So to me, I think you did the right thing! What kind of adventure is it anyway, when you know everything, right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Y....Yuuma..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Let's go, 'neh'?" Yuuma said with a grin. "We have to find Ka so that we can finally get to Alit, right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl blinked, and ultimately couldn't do more than nod. "...right," she said quietly, taking a shaking step farther in the small passage. "...I need to get myself together..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, though...Iris?" She turned, watching as Yuuma scratched her cheek. "I was wondering...what was the burny thing, anyway? With you holding my wrist and stuff..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"..." After a blank pause, Iris simply blinked. "...Oh. ...I coated you with Barite."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HEH!? Barite!?" She could swear that was the rock stuff Kaito had used but-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mn. Barian energy. ...It fools most eyes and sensing powers."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O..Oh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Another pause, and Iris was finally the one tugging Yuuma on again. "...Let's get Ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"R-Right..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They would just put what happened earlier behind them.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Getting to the Almond Arrow was a relatively easy task for Ka. While she lacked the ability to shrink down into the form of that tiny, tiny little mosquito state as she had in the human realm, it wasn't as if that was a power she'd had last time she was here in the first place after all. Instead, like the ninja she was (or called herself anyway), she simply skirted along the carved rooftops of the Beneath in Aurum, clawed toes silently scratching along almost mossy seeming rock-work that looked as if it had been submerged by flooding.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had always been like this, but for whatever reason, taking in the details now made her feel uneasy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Regardless, it was a quick trip from the entrance to the building. It was even easier to gain audience with Yasu- she had ultimately been here a few times while establishing herself in Aurum, what with the people and workers of the Arrow being relatively easy to work with. Or at least as easy as anyone was in this line of work.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Besides, brothels were always good for catching info, at least when you weren't some brute of a man charging in like they owned the place.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Though she admitted, however grudgingly, that the Madam of the House had a bit of an advantage there. "My, my, my....and who is it before me, but a lovely little fly..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The air rumbled when Madam Yasu moved. Spikes of pure crystal, once rough and now smoothed into twined shark-fins of dusted 'glass', passed around the mosquito as sharks circling a raft. And as Ka looked to the face of the great centipede being, massive fans dangling from antennae and limbs alike, she scoffed. "You're far too big -ka," she spat, narrowing her eyes. "Just where do you go off being this huge..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mhmhmhmhmmhmhmh..." Stony and segmented she was, as if carved from the rocks of the land itself. More a puppet than some living being one could say, but any who actually met with Yasu could see clearly that she was no puppet. Gilded beautifully with gold that had now grown brassy with time, all the edges smoothed with the deep marks across her skin. "Still, you go on about this," she chuckled, her words echoing through the chamber. "Just when will I have you as a client, instead of these meetings I wonder? You have me so curious, if I could change your mind..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA! Not on your life..! Or unlife for that matter -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yasu merely chuckled more, the rumbling shaking through the floor and through Ka herself. "Patience will pay off, it seems...but then what have you come for Ka-chan..? Surely I can at least entertain somehow..." The myriapod practically purred as she leaned in, chuckling even more while her guest seethed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And I'm telling you I'm fine without..! I just need to get some passes made, for the inner regions!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The inner regions..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This point, it seemed, was where Yasu grew serious. She leaned back immediately, and though the space between herself and Ka increased, it felt to Ka somehow that the air had grown more oppressive.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A tall order...and 'passes' plural..? My my my Ka-chan....</span>
  <em>
    <span>What have you gotten yourself into?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Are you hoping to move farther into the world?" she asked, tapping the scales of her side as she studied her guest. "Are you hoping to move deeper in..? Or is there something else? The realms go so much farther into the stone than you and I are even now after all...and there are things far larger than myself..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A shudder passed through the mosquito then, but grimly, Ka resolved to press more firmly. "It's just for one trip- and with my luck, it'll be ending in the Red lands for at least one of us -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"'One'..?" Silence came from the both, and within the large, empty glass eyes that Yasu's purely insect face held, came a small spark. "...I believe then...that we will need to speak about this more."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was no shudder this time, but Ka wondered all the same if it was simply because she had not stopped trembling from the outside in.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They were no closer to an agreement by the time a message from the front came to them. For the last hour at the least, the issue had been the same- if they were to be given passes which could get them through each of the regions, even </span>
  <em>
    <span>once</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Yasu wanted to meet with the two who would be receiving them alongside Ka.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka of course refused. She told herself it was because it was too dangerous- bad enough above the Beneath of Aurum, but if someone below gained so much as a sniff of what Yuuma actually was? Word would spread, and it'd be all over. That was the excuse. Yuuma would just make a mess of things. Nonsense!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was too dangerous.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No matter the excuse, it was too dangerous.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But a message appeared, a clouding mist that formed a large stone mirror that could have passed as something older than stone itself heralding the image of the receptionist.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Madam Yasu," she spoke calmly, her voice echoing through the room. "....Some visitors of interest have arrived," she explained, Yasu frowning from her lounging seat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I am busy," she replied, claws tapping at the wall idly. "You know this- they will need to wait. ...Mn....perhaps take them to a side chamber for now...they could be entertained with some tea if they like, a bit to make it worthwhile..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sea-dragon however simply blinked- stone eyes clouding and unclouding with the motion. "They are looking for your guest...thus," she chuckled, "The interest..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment, Yasu merely stared. Then, rumbling chuckle escaping her, she waved a hand. "Send them in," she purred, chuckling still farther as Ka stiffened before her. Frozen in place the mosquito was silent and shocked stiff as a small hole opened in the wall. From within the coils, Ka could not see the two seeming children enter the room. Yasu soon moved however, shifting bit by bit as if she were the door herself, allowing the two in their cloaks to eventually be seen.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Y...You... ...You </span>
  <em>
    <span>idiots</span>
  </em>
  <span> -ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, hello to you too then Ka~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Iris greeted the barian casually, an edge of strain to her tone that spoke of only recently resolved emotions, Yasu chuckled once more. "HEHHH!!" shouted Yuuma, the surprise only causing her to laugh further. "She's so big..!! How..!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"My my, Ka-chan..." Shifting once again, all three were now locked within the area that her coils encircled. "You could have simply said they were such little ones...or at least, that one of them was," she purred. "Do you really think me so tasteless, that I would dangle my work in front of children?" she added, pincers clicking eagerly as Ka hissed. "How terrible...I could have set tea together for all of you you know. Perhaps I still should," she hummed, Yuuma and Iris merely staring.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Ka...chan..?" Yuuma repeated dully, Iris smiling perhaps too knowingly in Ka's direction.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahahahaaa...Ka, is this the real reason you didn't want us to come along then..? You could have been more clear about it when you whispered things to me you know...I would have understood~!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"YOU-! Don't even twist it like that -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O-Oi, Ka! Ka, you're their mom??? Seriously?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Immediately, everyone went silent. For a moment, there was no reaction. For a moment, Yuuma even wondered if she'd said something far too wrong about things.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly however, the ground began to shake. Every inch of the barian around them began to tremble, vibrating and clattering. A chuckle, so quiet, slowly grew and grew further still, and finally the centipede threw their head back into a roaring and open laugh. "AAAAAHAHAHHA! WUOOHAHAHAHHAHAHA!" she bellowed, the clattering shaking through their very bones. "How adorable....how sweet..! To think that it has been so long since such innocent eyes have passed through my territory..!" she laughed, Yuuma simply looking between the two with wide eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ehh? Did I..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I think our 'lovely host'," Iris coughed, bowing her head, "Is older than even me, Yuuma..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"OH- Uhh, I mean..." Yuuma did not seem particularly bothered beyond a shrug, something that only served to throw the centipede into further laughter. While Ka buried her face in her clawed hands, Madam Yasu leaned in to peek at the three- each of them flinching or gasping with shock as a series of clicks soon met the air. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Bit by bit, the mouth parts of the centipede made themselves known- pulling back and rising, becoming a helm more than anything else. Even what was uncovered, would have been larger than Ka. The stone-like face of a woman, as if cut apart from the mask itself to make a smaller one beneath. It was a full face- a nose, a mouth, and great blank eyes that gleamed a pale gold against white. "How beautiful..." the centipede purred, bringing a hand forward. The very tip of her clawed hand barely held Yuuma's chin, the great scale of the being leaving the girl so shocked she couldn't speak. Tilting her head upward, Yuuma's hood fell back- Iris and Ka both stiff beside her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"U...Uhhh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You have so much chaos within you, little human...more than even those of the living plane," she breathed, smiling as her eyes watered. Gently, gently, she moved some of the child's hair from her face, before just as gently picking the hood up to neaten it around Yuuma's shoulders. Still wearing the porcelain face that sat so hidden behind her barian one, Yasu leaned backward and smiled. "I see now...this...This is why Ka has been playing so coy with matters. Yes...if word of </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> were to break free...hmhmhmhmmhmhmhmhmmm..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma found herself growing pale despite a lack of understanding, and it was Ka who frantically moved to ask for more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What are you talking about, Yasu?" she demanded, her voice betraying her growing fear. This was big- so much bigger now, she was beginning to realize, so much bigger than hiding the Astral World's human guide under her wing, so much larger than strange hints at secrets said human knew. "What aren't you telling me -ka..!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mmnnnhh...such news I'm afraid, isn't meant to be shared," the centipede sighed, tapping her lips. "Such news...isn't meant to even be thought...but I can tell you this- I will give you your passes...no, I will give you even more than that, in fact. There is an outpost to the east of us, where one might find ships for the sand," she explained calmly, even while the three below shook under the implications of earlier words. "I will give you what you need to get there, and to make use of these...and with those, you will easily reach those Red Lands you seek out..." All three moved to speak, but Yasu held up her hand. "...I will not change my mind however, on such things that I do not wish to share. You must accept that...and I in turn must apologize," she sighed, shifting in her place. "But even so...did I not say I should make you tea? Even for those without need, it's quite a relaxing thing. A matter that I'm certain all of you could use..." The three all shifted, Yuuma going as far as to rub the back of her head while shrugging. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Tea is what Grandma always brings out when things have gotten bad," she offered in the end, looking to her friends. "...Right now...even though I don't really get it, you guys probably need it loads, right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In the silence that resulted, Yasu simply smiled broadly. "Then let us do just that, hmm? It'll take me time to get you those passes you need after all...and more than that..." She chuckled, turning to Yuuma in particular. "I believe humans require sleep, is that not right..? I shall set aside a room for that then," she declared, beginning to rise and uncoil for the sake of the three. "For now...follow this path here," Yasu insisted, yet another 'hole' appearing in the stone. "And I shall prepare something better to converse over, hmm..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To the three of them in their own way, tea was admittedly far from what they particularly wanted to have. Their blood and equivalents ran hot, their nerves each on fire, and it felt as though sitting still would only make things worse.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Yuuma's Grandmother had always insisted upon sitting, breathing, and taking it in. And Yasu herself had said it would take time before things were ready. And ultimately...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Humans needed sleep, ultimately.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So with nods- and slight bows in the case of the barians, showing at least a semblance of polite respect to their host- they turned for the tunnel.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There was a lot more ceremony to tea than Yuuma remembered her grandma ever performing, and frankly, she wondered if she was going to fall asleep before she even got to the tea.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her friends undoubtedly wondered the same, watching as Yuuma's glazed eyes stared at the tea set as Yasu's 'figment' as it was called, wordlessly handled pouring hot water over the tea pot, and into one of the cups- the hot water moving cup to cup, darkened ruby wet and gleaming while Yuuma simply stared boredly. At the start, Iris had quietly said something about how it was to warm up the cups and tea-pot. Yuuma, thinking back to tea at home, had grumbled something about how they never did that </span>
  <em>
    <span>before</span>
  </em>
  <span> while Ka snorted anyway.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tea set, if she stared at it and let herself get distracted, was at least pretty neat to look at. The stone was just that- entirely stone, all of it sitting upon a green and black slab with the occasional stain of violet 'ruby' within it. It sat in the middle of the room upon a small table, the majority of the room itself otherwise filled with various fabrics and blankets. It was, apparently, where Yuuma would be allowed to sleep- having tea there just made things easier.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If they ever got to the tea. The figment- a thing that resembled a puppet almost, with pieces of deep violet porcelain attached to charcoal strands in the shape of limbs and a blank face- handled the gold-trimmed stone with slowness and care, gently picking tea into the pot, and soon after pouring it all through a filter and into a pitcher. The small cups sat in wait- barely repressing a groan as the fluid was finally, finally, poured into the cups as tea- and not dumped into another vessel as the hot water it was. Bowing before them the figment scattered into motes of light, and sluggishly, Yuuma finally took her cup.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Haaaaauuuuhh...all that just for one cup of tea..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! It figures she'd go all out with a ceremony for it," Ka grumbled, eyeing her own cup with a dry frown.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It definitely wasn't something I'm used to," Iris added calmly, sipping at her own. She paused, looking toward Ka as she did so. "But it was definitely as relaxing as promised..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Another groan, and Yuuma- who had yet to even take a sip of her tea- just slouched. "Mnhhhhh...I almost fell asleep though..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Then it's working isn't it?" A pause, and Iris blinked. "Yuuma?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma for her part, seemed curiously awake all of a sudden- looking toward Ka in particular.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The ninja noticed easily. "What," she huffed, "What do you want?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, your mouth is..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA! Don't you start staring then -ka!! I can drink this fine!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"R...really..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I said it only looked like there was nothing didn't I -ka!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So then, how..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KKKKKAAAAAAAAA-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma was briefly distracted enough to turn as Iris tapped her shoulder. "Maybe you should just drink your own cup?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Auh- But I really want to see-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A clinking sound, and the girls turned to behold a smug Ka, her cup already back on the tray.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"EhhhHHH!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kakakakaka...looks like your mystery just has to continue then, kakakakakkaaaa..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No fair..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmmm...well, now there really is nothing to do but have your tea and sleep right?" While Yuuma groaned, Iris simply smiled. "We've got a lot to do when you get up after all- with any luck, we'll have everything ready to go by then, neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh..." That was true- since the others wouldn't have to sleep, they were probably going to have everything down to the map planning ready... "I guess..." Sipping at her tea, she soon set the empty cup down before falling back onto the blankets. "Good night..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not even going to move a bit farther from the table huh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Sleeping where she fell in the sand has made her too simple if you ask me..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ultimately, Yuuma didn't even hear what Ka said, falling asleep as fast as she did.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When they woke, they were given their passes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thin slabs of stone the size of their palms, scattering into dust within their very hands. The marks of the crests seemed almost familiar- yet unfamiliar all the same as they shined and then faded, not a bit of proof they had been there even remaining.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After their passes were procured, they were led down a sloping, stepped tunnel. Down, down, far deeper down than Yuuma could imagine, soon coming to a vast cavern upon which stone docks had been built. There was not even a hint of human influence in the stone there- it felt more akin to walking into a cave in the woods, dark and forbidding, the only light coming from the lantern held by the figment, and the lights upon the boat ahead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a long thing- floating impossibly despite the look of stone mixed into its 'bamboo' form, a covered portion at the middle for shelter. Ka said nothing about whether this was good or bad, expected or otherwise- she simply nodded as Iris moved to inspect the supplies already stored on board, before allowing the figment to vanish.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This was it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were leaving now- leaving Aurum via a network of under-ground canals, sailing upon the boat and the current the waterway held. They would stop only when they had reached their destination-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And from there, it would simply be a matter of changing the method of transport.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For now however, they boarded the boat. Took their seats, and pushed off, Ka eyeing the water with particular distaste as Yuuma curiously peered over at it. It didn't even feel like water, not really she thought. It was more like a fog- thick and soupy and grey, a slight tinge of purple to it as they floated upon it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She found she couldn't look at it very long, and thus retreated into the boat's cover after the first few minutes of travel- Iris quickly joined her, as did Ka, after the latter insisted they would be travelling this way for a small number of days. The boat needed no steering- it would move itself, and Yasu had assured them that unlike their trip above ground, it would be entirely safe.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They quietly avoided discussing what that would mean once above ground.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It didn't matter right now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were moving again, and it didn't matter right now. What mattered was that soon enough, they would be able to reach the 'Red Lands', reach Alit, and get her home. It didn't matter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(And Yuuma tried not to think, in the silence of the trip, about how much it felt like what carried their boat was somehow alive.)</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Now that their travels were- however temporarily- a matter they could sit through, Yuuma found herself rather abruptly with an abundance of energy, and little to do with it. There was almost no room to really move on the boat- they could easily reach into the supplies for prepared and dried food of course, as well as the sleeping pack necessary, but beyond that it was just a spot to sit and either stare at a wall or stare at the 'water'.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She did not, she decided, want to stare at the water. After a while though there wasn't much else she could do though, which was why in the end she started digging through the back for something else.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Mnh? What are you looking for Yuuma?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You better not be grabbing extra snacks -ka....we need to ration it properly so you don't end up starving before we reach the capital..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The capital, apparently, was where they were going to be headed. Iris and Ka didn't want to pull out the map just yet, since they wouldn't be needing it right now and pulling the pack apart risked dropping things into the water with how far in it was, but they explained at the least that the plan was currently to hit the capital and then move city to city from there to the border of the Red Lands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>'<em>The capital of the Red Lands is where the Red Lord will be residing,</em>' Iris had explained as they set off, taking it upon herself to explain the travel route where Ka seemed content not to bother. '<em>It's located not too far into the region, but far enough that we need to go further south before entering it. It's fairly volcanic in most areas north apparently...even less tolerable for you than the desert at this point</em>.'</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Or so they'd said, but it still seemed a bit sad. She couldn't help but think it would've been cool to walk through a volcano.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As it was, Yuuma ignored the others for a moment until she found her belt. "Ahah! Here it is!" she announced, the others staring as she carefully threaded it out of the pack.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Your...belt?" As Yuuma retreated back under the cover in the boat's middle, Iris stared- blinking as the case on its side was opened up. "What on earth..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ka! Planning to duel yourself?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Are those...cards?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Yuuma could begin to properly bicker with their team 'adult', Iris' question stole both of their attention. "Eh?" Yuuma repeated, staring. "...Of course..! They're duel monster cards, obviously..!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iris crept near, peering over at them with curious eyes. "I had wondered what was in that little box when washing your clothes admittedly...I had a feeling it would be a bad idea to submerge it, and it looks like I was right. But what do you mean by 'duel monsters'?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"H...HEH!?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ka stepped in before Yuuma shouted what she was thinking, a buzzing hum on the air. "Hmmmm. Makes sense I suppose, -ka, if you're 500 or so years old...duel monsters is only a 'this century' thing -ka, it's ahead of your time~ Kakakakaka..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Wait- really? But all of the ruins..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Mnh?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leaving Iris to follow blindly along in confusion, Yuuma turned to the mosquito and explained. "The ruins..! The ones related to the Barians- for all six, there was a duel! In the first one, we dueled the pegasus that used to carry a legendary hero through the air- the one Durbe was in life!" she continued with a serious nod. "And in another, Kaito dueled against Jinlong, the dragon that Mizael knew..!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"KA!? You guys settled that sort of thing with duel monsters!? I get that for modern disputes -ka, but ancient ruins is ridiculous..!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slowly, Iris blinked, looking over the images of what few cards were on the floor of the boat. "I...think I understand? It seems strange that a card game would be so vital but..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Mnnh, of course it is! When you duel, you feel each other's real feelings!" Yuuma insisted, nodding seriously. "Duel monsters...it brings people together, no matter the fight!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ka snorted, resting her head in one hand. "Kakakaaaaa...hence your determination to duel the Red Lord if need be then -ka, am I right..?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At this, the eldest jolted. "...That's right- when you said duel I'd assumed you clashed fists actually. The Red Lands as a whole are known for being filled with fighters- but the Red Lord from what I've heard is <em>especially</em> known for it..." Which in hindsight, she thought to herself, was a bit odd if the Barian Lords weren't really seen by anyone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They'd have to look into that wouldn't they. Well. "Hehhhh...you think I fought him like that? We definitely had a playful punch, after our first duel..." She paused, and grinned. "He said I was interesting after that too! That was where I learned his name! He said to carve it into my heart, because he would be my rival! It was exciting..!" she cheered, the others staring blankly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something about carving names into hearts felt... ...Well, whatever.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"If it was a card game that explains how you're alive then...we're pretty strong over all, even without considering actual fighters..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hn! Speak for yourself -ka, a fist fight is the last thing I plan to get involved in..!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ehh, but you were able to do pretty great against those shadow things weren't you?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Do you honestly think that's my idea of fun -KA!?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iris laughed, but ultimately looked back over the cards. "It makes sense, but it's still weird to think about...and you dueled him three times?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She regretted asking that, ultimately. Yuuma's smile faded, and very quickly became quite sad in fact. She quieted, looking to the ground and nodding. "...yeah. When we dueled the first time...it was just for fun, you know? The kind of duel where I didn't know what was going on, but even with that, I was able to kattobing and charge through a fun end. ...but...after that, even after he helped save me, he said he was Barian. ...he made a Barian sphere field, and dueled me in there. It..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes watered, but Yuuma continued on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She felt as if she had to even- the others were quiet, even, waiting for her to finish after all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She had to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...It was fun," she said quietly, sniffing. "Astral and I, we even had to take Zexal form...and Alit, he took his real form- with the mask, and the gems... ...when we won, I thought he would be okay!" Yuuma shouted, looking between Iris and Ka with wide eyes. "Because Astral..Astral couldn't take his 'over-100 number' card!" she cried, Ka briefly narrowing her eyes as the importance of the 'numbers' came up again. What was it she had been warned of back then, that the card and herself would be one while she had it..?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She wondered, if she had in fact simply dueled...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...But Shing... ...Vector," Yuuma corrected, Iris now stiffening in shock, "...Vector attacked him, even though he'd survived, and been able to leave. I'd wanted to have that kind of duel with him again...but..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While Iris remained frozen, eyes wide as she tried to remind herself that she had long known 'Vector' to be the name of the Ash Lord, Ka at last spoke up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You said you dueled <em>three</em> times, -ka. What was the<em> third</em>?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuma was quiet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But ultimately, holding her knee close and holding one of the cards from her deck, she swallowed and spoke. "After we fought the Barians- Vector, Durbe, Mizael- after we fought in Sargasso, we found out about seven Numbers cards we needed to find. All of them were in ruins, connected to the Barian... ...The Barian Lords," she corrected after a second, remembering quietly that there were so many more than just them now, so many more than just that small handful she'd faced in duels. "...we didn't know yet...what they meant," Yuuma admitted. "...We didn't know until we reached the fourth one, and talked to Jinlong...he recognized Mizael when he appeared," she explained softly, "And he was even confused when Mizael got angry, and shouted that they didn't know each other. But Alit..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Impossibly, it felt that the air was colder. Though the boat was still moving, it was as if they had stopped in their path.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuma spoke, and somehow to all three it felt as if a burning, agonizing pain was searing through their spines. "Alit's ruin was a big arena...he brainwashed Gauche, so I fought them both with Droite. But when we beat Alit..." The tears fell, and hesitantly, Iris started to reach for her. Ka however simply stared, an unrecognizable look in her eyes. "...he looked so scared," Yuuma croaked. "The whole duel, he wasn't himself at all- he was mean, and cruel and... ...but after the duel, it was almost worse! He kept asking what they meant- what 'those memories' meant... and before anyone could even help, he left, with that same scared look..!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The tears were still falling, but Iris forced herself to pry for one last bit. Already she felt unsure- frozen in place, wondering quietly what all of this could mean for so many others. This was only two of the seven, she told herself. It was only two, but Yuuma had seen <em>six</em> ruins.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What did it mean then? What did any of it- "...Did you know then?" she managed to ask, finally resting a hand on Yuuma's shoulder. "...What memories were..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuma was silent, for a few moments.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But ultimately, ignorant to Ka's still distant stare, she answered. "...there was a legend at each ruin," she said quietly. "Droite told us the one for the coliseum, though. "She said, once there had been a 'gladiator', who won lots of fights using only his fists. He and the Prince there were rivals, fighting all the time in the arena and becoming friends. ...Since the Prince kept losing, people started getting mad...so the Gladiator got framed for a crime, and put on a trial," Yuuma explained, easily remembering the tale in her grim mood.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Then...the trial ended up with..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...The prince had him executed," Yuuma finished, her voice barely a whisper. "...and I think... ...that means what he remembered..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They didn't know what to say after that. Ka, certainly, said nothing more at all- simply watching as Iris moved to sit closer to Yuuma and put a reassuring arm around her shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...You said...duels connect the hearts of others right?" she asked softly, Yuuma still shaking in her tears. "...That's why you want to duel him again isn't it..? ...Not just because of when he acted cruel...but because of how hurt he was, don't you?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuma said nothing. She simply broke, crying out and curling tighter as the cards scattered on the floor of the boat, and finally sobbing until she had exhausted herself into a painful sleep with Iris holding her.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Late into the third day on the foggy canal, and Ka began to look over their luggage with a critical eye. They would be stopping shortly, apparently- the faster they could get everything off the boat the better, but they'd also have to carry a fair amount of it up the stairs out. Given what Yuuma could remember of how far down they went between each level of the city, it was going to be quite the trip.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That, however, was not Ka's primary concern.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We don't have anything of worth other than that map -ka, but keep an eye on our things regardless," she said sternly, squatting into a seat as the others listened. "...Yuuma. Keep your deck close, and hidden," the mosquito added, Yuuma jumping at the use of her name. "It might not be a bad idea to put your clothes back on for now either -ka. Anything that stands out like that, you want it on your person."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That careful..?" Iris remarked, frowning. "Did I miss something about who we're sailing with?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hnnnnn..." While Yuuma- still rather stunned- stared, Ka ultimately grimaced. "...You heard of the sand skaters, right -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a nod, though the confused air didn't fade. "Mnn...I heard a bit? They're nomads aren't they? With boats that skate on the sand." As soon as she said that, her eyes widened. "Y...I thought we were going on a ship though!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We are," Ka said grimly. "With a connection of Yasu's -ka. Madam Yasu made a deal with the captain of a skater </span>
  <em>
    <span>ship.</span>
  </em>
  <span> They're pirates -ka; normally they raid the sands, and trade in the cities. As long as the crime isn't in their walls -ka, no one in charge of the cities cares, got it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Seriously..!?" At last, Yuuma spoke. "That's not right at all..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And it's who we're sailing with anyway -ka..! So keep your things close, if you don't want them missing! Most people don't travel the desert like this...they stay close to home -ka, which makes them easy targets for skaters... ...but their ships are also the fastest way for us to get there, so play nice -ka! Half our deal alone was in bringing our own supplies as needed!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment, Yuuma almost wondered if she was worried about her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then, Yuuma remembered the 'oath' Ka had hanging over her. It would be nice, she thought, if it wasn't just that...but she was trying not to leave herself open to anything like a repeat of what happened with Shingetsu too, even if it was hard. Barians, she told herself, the voice not unlike Shark’s in her mind. She wanted to believe. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She wanted to believe.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Like she believed in Alit, she thought quietly, staring off into the dark. Believed despite how he acted- how Gilag had, for that matter. Even Mizael, and Durbe, she thought.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So many she knew even to start, seemed to have good in their hearts. Did, she was sure. ...Still more, she thought, had been nothing but kind to her thus far. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>None of them, not even Vector, had attacked her so thoroughly that she was left stranded. She didn’t know what to think, nodding numbly in reply. It seemed to be enough for Ka to take as a serious answer, so the mosquito nodded in turn and sat back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Good. Once we get up there, let me handle the talking -ka. For now, get your things together."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma suffice to say did just that. It wasn't at all long after she'd finished that the boat had begun to slow- soon coming to a complete stop in the near dark, at a curiously ricketty seeming dock formed of planks of porous looking rock on a slab of 'ash'.  It was lit solely by a mounted staff and a golden lantern light, a 'wing' marked upon it like a signal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just behind it, could be seen a stairwell.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right! Let's get moving then -ka!" Grabbing everything wasn't very hard. Ka briefly raised an eyebrow at how much of the total haul Yuuma took, but when the girl didn't seem particularly affected by the load she merely shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris however, could not ignore it. "You're taking almost the entire pack..!? We put enough food supplies for a week in there..." Not that they would be on board for a week without break if things went well, but according to Ka there was always a risk- especially if the ship didn't stop for very long at the nearest city on the route. While they knew which cities they would be stopping at (something that made more sense if there was a set path), they did not know how long each stop would be.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Looking for food in cities made for people that didn't require it would be nearly impossible to pull off if they had a single day.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Iris gawked, Yuuma simply grinned. "Heheee...of course! A pack like this is nothing compared to what I brought to the Duel Lodge before!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Seriously, you've carried more -ka..?" Ka sounded more dry than surprised, a mood more than balanced against by Iris.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But...HOW!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahh..? What do you mean how..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's not heavy at all?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh- of course not..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The mosquito just snorted, already moving for the stairs. Idly, Yuuma noticed that the boat was starting to sink. "Humans are stronger than they look -ka! I'd be more concerned if we had weapons, or armor in there. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Then</span>
  </em>
  <span> it'd be something, kakakaka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"N...neh, is the boat supposed to..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't worry about it -ka, Yasu knows what she's doing...now hurry up, or we'll miss the stupid pirates we're supposed to sail with -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The two quickly picked up the pace, even as Iris muttered from behind. "I can't believe I didn't realize it would be the skaters," she was saying, Yuuma unsure how to respond. Ultimately, she just adjusted the massive pack of goods and carried onward. The stairs were dark- but somehow far less intimidating and foreboding than the stairs that had brought them to the 'Beneath' of Aurum before. Walking up them took a good amount of time- yet another thing that sadly reminded Yuuma of the Lodge, though she forced herself to shake it off. It was something that contributed only more to her silence, with Ka and Iris unable to make themselves break it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a time however, they could see a dull reddish glow from beneath something up above- and not long after that, it was clear the 'something' was a door. Ka pushed it forward, and instinctively, Yuuma found herself ducking under her arm at the light. It was bright and blinding- not at all something she would have associated with the dull sun of the Barian World, yet all the time spent below had long since allowed her eyes to adjust to the shadow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Soon enough as she stepped out however, Yuuma's eyes widened to take in the sight. Against her knowledge, a grin worked its way on her face from behind the replaced cowl and hood she had, and for a moment she was frozen in place. There it was again- the vast, golden sands of the desert, the various layered rocks and cliffs visible in the far distance. The gold glistened before them, and alongside it came into view a massive ship only a few shades darker than the sands themselves- the sails tied into tightly folded 'fans', and scattered barians visible along the docks set up between the stairwells and the ship.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was beautiful- and </span>
  <em>
    <span>amazing</span>
  </em>
  <span>, frankly, as her mind eagerly supplied her imagination with the fantastical adventures of a pirate ship in the desert, imagining great coats and triangular hats.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yuuma," Iris spoke, interrupting the daydreams. "Yuuma, we need to get ready to board..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AH- R-right..!" she choked, running up to join Ka.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The mosquito huffed, turning from where she was speaking to a rather large barian among the crew. For the first time, Yuuma was so reminded of the ones she had dueled that she actually froze while Ka introduced them. The barian before the group was another woman, Yuuma noted- though there was a strange sense of hesitance to the thought, as if the true answer was 'but not Quite'. More somewhere between- a comfortable medium that had no precise pronoun with which to describe. What took Yuuma's attention more however was the stately silver appearance they held for the most part, not unlike Durbe, or perhaps, more unfortunately, even Vector. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The latter unfortunately was only assisted- great wings sat folded back against the barian's back, akin to carved kites, the only indication of 'feathers' being the golden lines along the blackened portions. Black covered much of the captain's back- as well as parts of the head, whereupon the hair moved from the nose and up and back, into long cat-like horns. If she stared long enough at the captain's face, Yuuma thought, she could make herself think of Cathy instead- Cathy's hair did a very similar thing after all, and even the Barian's eyes seemed somehow catlike. The lack of nose and mouth seemed to emphasize the features, choice few gemstones shining along the edges of the 'helm'.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quite unlike both Vector and Durbe however, was how the barian was dressed. Formed seemingly naturally from her own being was an enclosed vest, lined only in gold down the front. It split backward into a trailing set of coattails, leaving the rest of her bare- an altogether regal captain of the ship.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So these are the two?" she had asked Ka, Yuuma still lost in her gaze of them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's right -ka. We'll do our part on board, but if you give us a room -ka, we'll be out of sight and out of mind."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The captain narrowed her eyes at the thought of that, but did not immediately answer. Instead, she turned her attention to the 'children'. "I will take your names then," she stated, eyes seeming to bore holes into them both.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Iris nodded, Yuuma managed to break her silence. "Auh- And we get yours too then right!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka sputtered mutely, the captain merely blinking in turn. Instead of reacting poorly however, she instead hummed yet again. "You will have to find out, won't you?" she asked, Yuuma pouting at the reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"....Iris," the shortest of them eventually answered, studying the pirate carefully. The captain was silent, simply nodding.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma ultimately seemed to weigh her options, before answering as well. "Tsukumo Yuuma!" she declared, a moment of surprise escaping the barian before her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Tsuku... ...You have a surname?" the captain realized, Ka's eyes widening at the thing she'd neglected to warn her charge of.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The confusion only served to dig a deeper hole or so it seemed. "...yeah? ...Don't most people..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris coughed. "...Well I don't," she muttered, voice low. "...but not a lot of people did in my time either..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well they have them in mine..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Indeed they do," the captain hummed thoughtfully, studying the child before her. "...Most Barians typically discard those names though, within as little as a year or so...you're rather tall for someone this fresh, aren't you?" she declared, carrying on before the others could respond to the tension. "Very well then, 'Tsukumo Yuuma'...you are looking to Captain Bamao of the Golden Teng. Your spirit is notable," the barian carried on with an edge of amusement, "But know this. You will be spending the next amount of time on my ship. Should you, or any of your allies, show any disregard for myself or my crew, you will very quickly find yourselves </span>
  <em>
    <span>walking</span>
  </em>
  <span> to the nearest city. And unlike the sands you see near the Ashlands, </span>
  <em>
    <span>these</span>
  </em>
  <span> sands are far more perilous. Do I make myself clear?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma, for the entire time, simply stared. "Heh- O-Of course..!! Why would I do anything bad on your boat?!" she protested, Iris allowing a small groan to escape her as Ka simply stared upward.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Fortunately for the both, the captain simply chuckled more openly. "I trust you to prove your own words then, 'Tsukumo Yuuma'. Until then-" She snapped her fingers, a small bird with the appearance of bladed wings appearing. "Follow this figment to the room I have set aside for you three. Until we reach the end of our route, it's unlikely we'll be having need for it- typically," Bamao told them, "We use it for prisoners..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HEHH!? But isn't that-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This time, Iris elbowed the girl, having enough of the worry for dug holes. "I'm sure it's fine, Yuuma..~! So </span>
  <em>
    <span>let's relax, neh</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The edge of Iris' tone was just enough like Rio's that it worked momentarily, and if Bamao had a mouth, Yuuma would have sworn she was smiling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wonderful," the captain purred. "Then I shall see you above deck when I give the signal to push off. We will discuss the matters of your stay in more detail then. For now- my crew and I will be taking a few hours of time to better prepare our coming route. I'm sure you can find a peaceful way to conduct yourselves until then..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She did not stay long. Soon enough, the captain seemed to disappear in a blur of static, appearing some feet away near the crew. Yuuma, still rubbing her side and cringing under Iris' stare, huffed. "What kind of pirate is she....she feels more like Akari..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kak...ka...I don't care who she feels like, don't do that again -ka..!!" Ka wheezed, the figment- bird still hovering in place before them. "I thought we were going to be skewered on the spot..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A sigh, and Iris ultimately took the lead on heading for their spot on the ship. "Let's just settle in and talk inside for now...even if the captain isn't right here, I don't trust Yuuma not to say something we'll really regret soon..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"EH!? O-Oii..!! I'm not that bad..! ...Oi!!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma of course, received no answer, even as they followed the figment onto and into the ship.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The room that the figment led them to was relatively small- only barely large enough for all three to sit in, at least if they assumed Yuuma was laying down entirely while the bag was at the side.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's so small..." Yuuma of course, noticed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The door shut behind them for now, Ka merely shrugged, watching as Iris helped Yuuma with the pack straps to get the supplies down. "Ka! What did you expect? They don't think you need sleep- they think you're the same as the others -ka, and if you play it right, that's what they'll keep thinking! Working with pirates is great until you need things secret -ka...nosy pricks, they all are," she grumbled under her breath.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This room at least seems pretty closed off though," Iris remarked with a hum. "Captain Bamao said it was what...a prison cell?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There's not even bars on the window or something..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Another shrug. "For a barian, you need something that can really lock someone in -ka. Probably for now, she's disabled any enhancements on the room...but even with those to consider, if there was an opening bigger than a crack -ka, certain barians could escape."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris it seemed agreed. "They'd have to be awfully strong for that though," she noted. "And not many even know that older or stronger barians are capable of any kind of magic that would allow escape through small spaces. I'd be surprised that you did, but..." The girl frowned. "From what I hear, you've already full of surprises..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! It's not that hard to grasp -ka! I had to get this mess started somehow didn't I?" the mosquito huffed, grumbling under her breath as she sat down. Yuuma busied herself with setting up the sleeping pack, one ear idly on the others but not really picking anything up. "I had some power for a bit -ka. Enough to get myself to the human plane, and back, and portal plenty. I could even shrink down, kakakakakakaaaa..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Ka 'grinned', Iris seemed unfazed. "...And now it's gone."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA! Obviously...I'd have been fine without it too -ka, if not for all of this...portals might be useless for now -ka, but getting smaller..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You really don't like big things huh Ka..." Yuuma had finished setting up at this point, joining in the conversation with a raised eyebrow. "I thought it was just things bigger than you, but you're talking about shrinking..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barian snorted. "When you're small -ka, you avoid as much trouble as you need after all! Big things just mean bigger trouble! For that matter, a bigger ego -ka...And I know plenty about how people with big egos are, kakakakaaa..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girls both stared at that, ultimately changing the subject instead. Neither could be really certain on how to respond to that after all. "Mnh...well, I got that map you guys had..!" Yuuma cheered, laying it before them. Ka seemed idly interested as Iris sat back, content to watch the girl grin over it. "It's so cool...and all on cloth too! I didn't think it was cloth..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You can see the route we'll be taking on it too," Iris noted helpfully, pointing out the regions and cities. "See? Technically, it would be faster for most barians to go through the Red Lands," she explained, tracing her finger through the provinces, "But for now, we'll be taking a more winding route."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"'Jin', Pyrish, Kinto, Gildin...auh, and then we cross over there?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mmhm." While Ka idly stared at the map, Iris continued. "'Jin' is the capital- that's our first stop. After that the ship is supposed to pass by each of those cities, before we're close enough to the Red Capital's nearest border."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Which makes the 'red capital'... Cor Igni?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mhhnnn..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You should take the time to sleep, -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girls turned, blinking at Ka's interruption. "Eh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It'll be tricky, finding reasons for you to be down here for so long -ka...not impossible, but tricky. Right now, the ship is docked, and mostly empty -ka. You've also been awake for a while. You see where I'm going with this, -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ultimately, Yuuma wasn't so foolish to miss that point. "Ah...r-right..!" Moving for the sleeping pack, she paused. "...Oi, it's fine to take my clothes off for that though right..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh, as long as you keep them close I would think so..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka nodded. "Keep them with the pack, and keep the cloak on just to be safe -ka. ...For now..." She narrowed her eyes, looking over the map again. "Hmm. We'll keep our voices down -ka, but we'll probably talk a bit over this." Just as she said that, she shot an even more narrowed stare toward the human of the group. "...If you try listening instead of sleeping though -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HIHH!! Got it..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, when you wake up though Yuuma, I think I can find something on board to handle your hair..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right!" the girl cheered, only to draw back with a squeak as she caught Ka's frown again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was beginning to wonder if she just missed her sister, with how much it felt like more and more people were acting like Akari these days. Maybe when she was less tired it would feel less like that.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She woke to a light shake- a familiar child's hand on her shoulder, Iris bringing her fingers to her lips.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The captain's boarded with the crew," Iris whispered, Ka nowhere to be seen. "She's probably going to be briefing everyone soon, so you need to get up now."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh..." Yuuma yawned, rubbing her eyes as she groggily sat up. "How come we're whispering..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl merely smiled. "Just in case someone out there has better hearing...I'll wait outside to make sure no one tries to come get you, alright?" she added. "Tell them I've got it handled, neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Yuuma nodded, Iris stood and moved for the door, soon leaving her alone. It didn't take especially long to get her clothes and things back on, and soon enough the cloak was back over top of everything as well. Opening the door, Iris did nothing more than nod to her before it was shut behind them and they moved to go above deck.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they got there, it seemed they were not the only stragglers- the entirety of the crew, numbering at least fifty or so, now stood gathered around the center of the ship- no mast between them, thanks to the location of such parts. There was another barian notably standing just beside the Captain- tall, taller than Yuuma had ever expected to see in her life in fact, he had a snout resembling a literal strapped muzzle, or a mask- etchings of teeth in the manner one would find on oni faces, and the parts that would have become straps simply curled around into intricate spirals along the head and lengthy neck. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Broad shouldered, and horned, the barian turned just as they arrived- long pointing ears twisting in their direction. Bamao turned as well, and after a moment more simply nodded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Good- that makes everyone then. Yuuma. Iris. This is my Quartermaster, Kanabo. Should he ask anything of you, consider it word from myself- his rank is of the same importance as mine," she told them, glancing to Yuuma a moment before smiling. "...You could call him a 'First Mate', perhaps."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Kanabo discretely raised a brow, the explanation had immediate effect. Yuuma immediately turned, a gasp escaping. "HuueeeeEEEH! You're the first mate..? That's so cool...First the ship, and now the captain..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm. I almost wonder if I should be upset that you didn't have this response to my own introduction," Bamao chuckled, Yuuma choking somewhat before scuffing a foot.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...well you're cool too..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hnhnhnnhnh...well now. LISTEN UP!" Bamao's voice raised immediately, echoing over the ship with such volume it was impressive that she wasn't shouting. "As all of you can see, we will be taking three passengers with us for the next number of days! As per the agreement reached between us, they will keep out of our path, and we shall keep out of theirs- safe passage in return for the turning of a blind eye! The lowest cell will be where they stay- and should I feel that any among you have overstepped the boundaries placed, know that I and Kanabo shall be upon you </span>
  <em>
    <span>IMMEDIATELY.</span>
  </em>
  <span>.."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Despite the warnings being primarily for the crew, Yuuma could not help but shudder. Somehow, she did not think Bamao meant a duel.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What she said next however, banished any fear at all. "All the same...There is nothing to keep you from interacting at all. We will be spending quite a lot of time together after all- and all of you are equally free to greet the other with that in mind! Share your stories, play a game of Go..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma grimaced. "I'd rather play duel monsters..." she muttered, Bamao pausing to glance almost casually in the girl's direction.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Duel monsters, you say..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"YOAH, DID SHE JUST SAY DUEL MONSTERS!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"EH!?" Yuuma jumped, and Bamao simply chuckled, even taking a step back as a pair of barians forced their way to the front of the crowd. Perhaps more accurately, one of them forced themselves forward- large and heavyset, reminding her of Tetsuo, he had a sectioned trunk that remained largely motionless, forming the entirety of his 'mouth'. What elephantine tusks he had were small, and if anything seemed made to decorate the trunk itself- while his ears fanned open and closed against his head. Back and forth they were moving right now- held open and forward as the four fingered barian looked over the crowd with wide eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eugh," his companion groaned- bearing strange, skeletal stone growths upon their form in contrast to the smooth opal features of the elephant. "Do we really have to do this..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The taller of the pair was comparatively twig-like, not that they were actually so thin. Their bored eyes were shadowed by the 'skull' helm upon their head, which melded down against their nose to create the illusion of a hare lip upon the mouth. Notably, hare ears seemed to be coming out through the eye sockets of the helm- though they flopped boredly downward. The elephant simply pointed, 'grinning' "They said duel monsters didn't they!? Yo, Captain, that's what she said yah?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Bamao chuckled, letting the meanings of the words sink in. Blinking once, and then twice, Yuuma herself began to grin. "Y...You...You play duel monsters..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"OOOUUAAAAAAAHHH!!! HAHHAHAHAAA YESSSS FINALLY!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Come on man, you're being embarrassing..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"CAPTAIN PERMISSION TO BE DISMISSED!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hnhnhnnhnhnhhh..~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By now, the entire crew was some range of confused or exasperated at the display. Kanabo seemed to be the only one unfazed, and even then there was a glimmer of amusement in his eye. Ka, for her part, looked as if she had been struck- as did Iris for that matter, as the elephantine barian tore over to scoop Yuuma up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"W-OAH!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Permission granted. See what I was saying? I'm certain these next few days will be quite interesting," Bamao hummed, Iris yelping and chasing after as the barians took Yuuma away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O-Oi, where are we going though!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh man you're gonna love this yo...! What cards you normally run, maybe I've already printed 'm out..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm going to get a headache after this week..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Y-Yuuma! Hey! Wait for me!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If there was one thing she could have solace in, Yuuma supposed, it was being able to finally duel again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...Though if she was right about what the barian meant by 'printing', she'd probably not be using her deck.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>While the girls disappeared off down into the deck, the remaining crew began to slowly scatter to their duties. "A shame she'll miss disembarking," Captain Bamao remarked, gesturing for Ka to follow her as she moved toward the stern of the ship. "I imagine for a first time, it would be quite the impressive sight. You at least will be able to enjoy it though, won't you?" she hummed, Ka merely staring as she followed along.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Most of the crew followed below deck, attending to duties there. Some stayed above deck- scaling or even flying up to the tops of masts, a few lining themselves along the edges of the folded 'fans' that were the sails. Kanabo in particular seemed to be positioning himself at the helm- hands gripping the carved points as they gleamed in the sun. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>From behind Kanabo, Bamao seemed to have other ideas in mind for the view- from the stern of the ship, far at the back and along the railing, one could see the whole of the deck. There was a folding cover for this portion of the ship Ka had noted, neatly separated and locked in place at the sides- undoubtedly for the rare, once in a decade rainfall that would fall upon the desert. Undoubtedly, they could not afford to all go under if they expected to survive the still present dangers left.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nodding to Ka as the ninja eventually perched in a seat at the back, Bamao moved forward to give Kanabo a nod. When the giraffe-like barian gave his nod back, Bamao spoke up once again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"PREPARE TO SET SAIL!" she shouted, a chorus of 'ayes' meeting the air. The checklist of immediate matters to be dealt with began to tick down like a timer, the ship separated from the dock and soon humming with power. It was the last one however, which drew Ka's attention most. First, the sails were repositioned. The great edges of the fans lined up in a particular direction, numerous barians gripping locks and chains up top.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"RELEASE THE SAILS! WE MOVE FOR THE CAPITAL!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sails dropped, but it would have been more accurate to say they unfolded. Massive fans made of glass, perhaps better compared to the wings of magnificent butterflies, opened forth from all three of the ship's masts. Though the light which struck them was no different from the dull red it always was, even impossible shades of blues and greens were shining through the glass, a full rainbow of colour cast from the glint. Among it all, was the image of a roaring, coiling 'dragon'- legless, and even wingless, almost a snake outside the great fangs. The image's shadow was cast faintly upon the deck, and for a moment Ka herself was struck with awe.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then, quickly, she huffed and sat back against the rail. Crossing her arms and shrugging. "Ridiculous," she grumbled, Bamao casting an amused glance back toward her. "Everything is ridiculous -ka. You're a crew of pirates, but here you are shining rainbows over everything, like a huge signal -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You can think of it like that I suppose...but for plenty, bright colours are a warning after all," Bamao replied. "We are brilliant, because we are strong. Strong enough to face what things would mistake colour for stupidity."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! It's too big!" the ninja tsked, having none of it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not fond of the ship then?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At that point, Ka seemed to recall who she was speaking to, and who's ship she was insulting. "K... ...well. It's...big enough for pirates I suppose, -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The compliment was as lame and forced as it could be, but as Bamao settled against the railing next to the mosquito, she seemed no less amused. "Yes...it certainly is. You aren't a fan of the large and brilliant things are you?" she chuckled, receiving no response. The answer after all was clear- Ka was doing her best not to look too directly at the captain now, a mild twitch in her eye and her wings buzzing against her back while the mosquito crossed her arms.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was likely she wouldn't be saying anything after all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I can't fault you," Bamao ultimately announced calmly, Ka glancing to the side with quiet surprise. "Large brings consequence. Grander things, and a greed for even more- an overconfidence, and an ego that could crater the ground when it falls- and such things always fall after all," she chuckled, eliciting a more overt look of surprise. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! And where does that leave you then!?" the ninja blurted, choking on the spot.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Bamao hummed. "A fan of the risk I imagine," she ultimately decided. "The large brings greater danger- and more responsibility for what comes. For every pay off can be disaster- even for one that allows all the crew to barely get by. But that same crew of mine..." The barian tapped her chin, and turned- and unable to look away without making it clear she was doing that, Ka was made to meet her eyes. "All the connections I've made to these people, the things we've seen and come to know together, as a group...there is an enviable temptation to keep things small, safe, and isolated for the sake of yourself, but I would not trade what I have now for the world."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka said nothing to that, and how could she. For the most part she wanted to stew and grumble about how ridiculous it was. In fact, after a moment more, she tried in vain to do just that. "A good way to get killed, -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And yet, it seems you're here on my ship aren't you?" Bamao replied easily, quieting the ninja in an instant. The captain straightened herself, wings half opened as she casually moved to speak with her Quartermaster. "Give it time, Ka Ninja- I'm certain that even with all of your hesitations, there will be something out there that gives you reason to 'think big', hm?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"K-!" With a snort, Ka merely moved to leave the helm and stern altogether, determining it best to move as far away from the group as possible. Ridiculous, she thought, pushing the captain's words from mind. The sooner she could clear her head the better. Especially if it meant keeping herself from wondering if she'd already been saddled with that 'something'.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>While Ka was outside fuming, Yuuma was not quite as inside as Ka and Bamao assumed. The room that their excitable dueling barian- named Obosci- was bringing them to was apparently filled with work and activity for the moment, prompting them to come back above deck while the taller of them- Leveret- grumbled something about trying to say that the whole time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Whatever," he muttered, crossing his arms as they leaned against the door back down. "You'll be able to see us set off while we wait."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The idea of that at least was enough to briefly keep Yuuma from getting bored and grumbly, even if Obosci himself was fidgeting with his fingers. "Ohh! With the sails coming down and everything right? Like on TV...??"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Leveret simply stared, seeming almost tired. "Geeze you two are really too much alike..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fortunately it had Obosci's attention, while Iris casually listened in. "Oh man- it's so much better than that..! Like- yauh I don't even know how to describe it, just keep your eyes up there and oh maaaaannn..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I take it it's a nice sight then..?" Iris had chuckled, only for Leveret to tap the girl's shoulder and gesture forward.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In an instant the sails had dropped- the colours gleaming in the sun, the rainbow light cast down upon the deck and upon the barians beneath. All sorts of shades could be seen reflected off their crystal and stone forms, shimmering to the point where they could scarcely be told apart from the light itself. Iris wondered briefly if that was the point, but for now, Yuuma was watching in wonder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"WOAAAAAAAAAHH...It's...It's so pretty...It's like how dad and mom said the lights in the north looked, except even brighter..!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Oh, that's like...the aurora or whatever right? I never got to see it, lived closer to the equator 'n such you know..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Wasn't 'aurora' a goddess..?" Leveret murmured, Iris shrugging beside him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Their confusion could not last long- soon enough, Obosci was jumping as a few barians came out through the door to turn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Obosc', th' room's all yours now," remarked the only one to hang behind- various leg-like structures hanging around their shoulders, head, and more, until they were practically a bush with eyes and a strange beastly mouth.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Unaffected by their appearance, their companion nodded. "Great! Thanks man, see yah at mess..!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Ehh, 'mess'..?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iris, perhaps to the surprise of Leveret, answered that half-spoken question while they were led back to the maps room as it was called. "I remember various soldiers using that word- young ones anyway. It's exclusive to ships, they were always correcting people when it came up...It's sort of like...a break room, a sleeping room, and an eating room all in one?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a nod from Leveret. "It's pretty much the same here- we don't obviously eat much, unless we get something good in a haul- it's a good time, but we have to be careful about that too. We'll have a mess-meal if something serious happens too, gets the energy for recovery faster."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Ehhh...why would you have to be careful though..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For a moment, Obosci seemed a little concerned- Leveret made an odd sort of 'height' gesture however, and he seemed to clue in. Even so, it was the rabbit who explained. "Right now, you're both pretty small right? So you're probably pretty new-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Oh- she is, I'm not," Iris quickly cut in, coughing. "...don't worry about it," she added. "I've had plenty of time to get over it. Carry on."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Right..." Standing in the doorway of the mapping room while Obosci busied himself with searching the back corner, he continued. "Barians appear in states of youth- like being born again, weird as it sounds. The way most of us figure, it's so that the whole shock of whatever brought us here doesn't hit all at once. Over time, we get to reach our original age- but there's a way to both speed it up, and go beyond what our original limits would be."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"And that's eatin' yau!" Obosci grinned, rolling out the rigid slats of slate over the seemingly permanent map on the table, and shortly after crashed a large stone box upon it. "But it also means that if someone gets enough to give 'mselves an upgrade, it could get explosive!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"That normally doesn't happen though," the other barian noted with a shrug. "It takes a lot of energy for that, and Bamao's careful to split the spoils evenly when we get them. If excess goes to anyone, it's to someone who's newly arrived- might sting when the blanks in their memory fill in all at once, but at least they can pull their own weight."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hehhhh..." Yuuma, only barely hanging on, did not even pretend to be following everything that was said. Eventually she simply blinked, and looked toward the box. "...Oh, is that where all the cards are..?" she asked, Leveret looking slightly irritated that his explanation was being ignored. Iris gave him a sympathetic wave of the hand, and moved to take a seat at the table with the others.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The chairs, they couldn't help but notice, matched the table incredibly well- it felt as if all of the pieces had grown from a single tree of some kind, if the tree were made of solid stone and looked it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The box itself was quite simple- far more simple than the rest of the room, let alone the table and chairs. While the ship over all looked far more 'human' and man-made than most things she'd seen so far, there were still elements of the fantastical stone and metal-work which drew it far beyond. In the map room, that sense grew from the fact that the walls themselves seemed to be planks of blended colour, dulled only by the brilliant white lights dangling across the ceiling in a spider's web. There was a window at the far back as well- Yuuma briefly wondered if this room in a movie would have been the Captain's cabin. She supposed if no one slept, there wasn't really a need for any cabins though.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As it was, there were engraved patterns along every inch of the place if one paid attention, including along the various shelves that were practically carved right out of the rock. Drawers did not seem to have drawers so much as clear glassy coverings to keep things inside- those things typically being scrolls, other boxes, or even what looked to be bottles.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For all of the detail, Yuuma found the box standing out for that very reason, its plain clay appearance standing out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Obosci pulled the lid off, and with great care, began pulling out the 'cards'- cards that looked like nothing Yuuma had ever seen. "H...HEHHH!? Those are...Duel monster cards?" she hesitantly began, her eyes wide as Obosci set each set on the table. "But they almost look..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I painted 'm all!" The barian cheered, the other two simply sitting at the side to watch. "When I first got here you know, I didn't have anything right? You know how it is, skin on your back, it's all you get! But I had my memory!" he cheers, tapping his head. "I had my head! So I figured, after I joined up on the crew and got my first bit of pocket pay, I'd just remake 'm..!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yuuma carefully took a card, looking it over with wide eyes. "The edges...o-oi, it's fabric isn't it?! Why fabric though?!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"'Cause there's no paper here yau- the stuff's made from plants. So if you want anything written down, it's gotta go on fabric."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iris nodded, and peered over herself. "Naturally," she spoke. "...But you've done something to those...are they-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Stiffened," Leveret confirmed. "This guy painted each of the pictures, and added the text, on sheets of fabric."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"And then Leveret here, he saved my butt yo! I was wondering how to keep 'm more card-like, and he came over and used his power to make them stiff as a board!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hehhh, you can do that..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iris as well blinked, and Leveret 'tsked'. "...It's not exactly anything cool," he muttered, sounding very much like he was happy to be considered 'cool' for once.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hahahaha...I see..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The duelists continued on their focus. "There's so many...How many cards do you have!?" Yuuma gasped, her eyes wide.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Well, it's not all of them...I kinda add as I go right? I started by making my deck- Yah gotta have your own deck after all, yah <em> gotta </em>. But after that I thought, well if no one here duels, obviously, I gotta teach 'm! But you! I haven't seen a duelist in AGES yau! What cards you run, I gotta see if I have 'm..!!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Ehhh..." For a moment, Yuuma almost reached into her deck-case to simply show the man. She quickly caught Iris' warning look though, and simply leaned over the table. "Mnh, I had a lot of Gagaga cards...and other syllable ones... ...Oh!! And the Music Djinn...!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Oh shit the djinn..!?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yeah!" The more Yuuma looked, the more the sheer number of painted cards became clear. "Hueeeeeehhhh there's so many here though...how did you remember all of them..!?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hah! It's my special talent, that's how..!" Obosci cheered, Leveret shaking his head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"This guy has a memory like an elephant- it's probably <em> why </em> he's an elephant," he huffed, arms crossed. "Sure isn't any other reason..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>While Yuuma gave another loud 'hehhhh', Obosci just laughed. "Hah! He's just saying that because he's a nervous stick in the mud! It's why he's all bones and bunny!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"That's <em> not </em> the reason..!" he protested, ignored in lieu of the cards.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"There's so many here...I don't think every card I had is here though," Yuuma hummed, frowning.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Aaaaauh seriously? I mean I guess I figured yau, but that just won't be the same then..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Mnh- even if it's not every card though it'll still be a deck I made if I duel you though right..? Like how a duel even without d-gazers is still a duel..!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"OHHH! Yauh, you got it, you got it..! We're gonna be clashin' souls here either way, tradin' feelings...!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"RIGHT! We can have a hotblooded duel either way..!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"YEAUUUUHHH!! Exactly..!! Let's go let's go, get these cards picked yauh!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Leveret sighed, propping his head up on one hand. "Hahhh, there's two of them..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"So this is what she was talking about earlier..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The duelists, of course, were still at it- and unfortunately for Leveret, he was getting dragged in. An arm around his shoulder, Obosci was practically crying with happiness. "YAUH she gets it man!! She really <em> gets </em> it, she's not even a casual..!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Heh!? What does that even mean-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Man!! Girl whatch' wearing that hood for anyway, we're tradin' cards here we gotta be working eye to EYE here!!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yuuma only narrowly caught herself on that question, drawing back with her hood lowered even further. "Uhhhhh....W..well..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"We're just a little self-conscious," Iris supplied, waving her hand off. Leveret in turn, elbowed his friend- drawing attention with a nod toward the hands of the two. Soft, and fleshy, and not at all even clawed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Obosci stared, and slowly crossed his arms. "Ohhhhhh....I get it...I get it girl, don't worry about a thing- I did the same thing for like a year, my mexican a...uh, butt," he corrected after a cough and a glance at Iris, "My mexi-butt stood out like a sore thumb yauh, crew was super chill about it though, don't worry about it. It takes time, it's weird, you wake up all different looking, you remember something else...I get it yauh," Obosci insisted, nodding almost sagely to himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hehh...you looked human before too..?" she remarked, looking back at Iris. In reply, Leveret was the one to shrug.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"It's common enough, even if it's looked down on- plenty new to Barian take a bit to settle into their skin, when they're used to only seeing humans. Over all, everyone agrees that it's more comfortable without though," he encouraged gently, a rare kind glimmer in his eye.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"AHhhhhh but take your time yauh, take your time! It takes a bit like I said, just takes a bit to get used to- you can even keep that hood up if yah need yauh- way I see it, bein' Barian, it's just like dueling yauh!" As all three of the others stared owlishly at that, Obosci continued on his passionate speech. "You've got your deck, your soul- your look," he insisted, nodding furiously. "You're wearing who you are right on your sleeve! So the you that you are, I'm gonna get all that when we trade blows with the cards! I don't need to see anything, no wax no nothin' yauh!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yuuma blinked, the words sinking in as they came over the air. Barians being the same as Duelists...she never thought it strange that the Barian Lords dueled, but when she thought about it, the fact that so many of the barians so far <em> didn't </em>meant that one or the other was probably strange. But hearing Obosci's words, and feeling the passion of them in that moment, she soon found a grin on her face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She felt, even if she was still confused, she could stand by those words whole heartedly after all. They were words that sunk in, and made her feel not merely happy- but like she actually fit into place somewhere amid all of the strangeness around. "Haaaaaahh...Obosci..!" Before Iris could even stop her, her hood and cowl were down- long, fairly tangled hair only barely 'neatened' by the force of the hood pulling it back. "YOSH then..! In that case...you can see my face!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"OHHHH!!" Obosci choked. "Auh heck kid you're adorable..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"She's probably not a kid anyway," Leveret grumbled, only to blink, squint, and then catch a cough from Iris. "...Or maybe she is...that's weird..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iris, as nervous as she seemed, kept her mouth shut as Yuuma continued grinning. "Heh! With this, we can really connect with a duel now! I just need to build my deck... ...mnn...Oh!" She beamed, pulling Iris over and gesturing to the closer seat. "Iris, Iris, we can teach you to duel too..!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"YOAH, seriously, she's interested too!? I've been trying to teach this guy for ages..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"It's not really of any use..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Mannnnn that's no way to put it..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>While the boys bickered again, Iris slowly came to the closer seat, nervousness clear in her eyes. "Yuuma," she hissed, "Why are you-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"He's a duelist, right? And the other guy is his friend, we can trust them..!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yuuma that's not how you-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Okay..!! Deck making, and deck learning..!! We should cover the basics, and then just have a duel, show her how it really works even if we don't have any AR!!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Right!" Yuuma cheered, Iris groaning in reply. "Mnh, I think I've almost got a deck ready..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"YEAH! In that case, let's set these aside...oh, Iris, these cards here, these are spells see- they're green- and these ones are monsters... ...AAAAH We'll tell her while we duel, let's go!!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"YOSH!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hahhh..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the duel between Gagagas and Mermail, it was truly a heated, and passionate match- the clash of ocean and magic was imaginative and spirited, to the point that even Leveret seemed to have grudging interest as Iris stared. For them, they had known  cards as a gambling matter, or as simple games among soldiers. This, somehow...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was different. Iris in particular thought she could start to understand what Yuuma had meant, claiming that duels were a clash that revealed the true feelings of another. Perhaps there really was more to this. Perhaps there was more to all of it, she pondered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was not much time to do more than ponder the matter however, when the lights around them abruptly shifted to a deep, sickly green. The cards that had been in their hands while sorting ideas for Iris to consider were immediately forgotten, as Obosci's ears folded flat and as Leveret's eyes widened in horror.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Ehhh? What-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Shh!" The crewmen hissed, each looking between themselves in fear at even their own sounds. Lowering their voices even further, they turned to the children in fear.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"That's the wyrm signal," began Obosci, his voice so soft one could barely hear at all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"It's the sign to be quiet," Leveret added, his flopping ears now bolted upright as he listened around in terror. "It means the wyrm's close."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As Obosci nodded, the girls found themselves suspecting that their brief moment of enjoyment was very much about to be over. The fear radiated off of him- and if barians could sweat, he undoubtedly would have been. "Too close," he added almost mutely as Leveret looked toward the window.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Close enough to hit whatever sound it can catch."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Silence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was so silent, she could hear her own heart beating. She could hear the steady 'thrum' of energy the ship seemed to give as it moved, her mind desperately wanting to ask </span>
  <em>
    <span>why the ship itself would not alert it</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She couldn't speak aloud though. The very fearful and fitful glances given proved that any further conversation could damn them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They could only sit, sit in the silence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sit as rumbling approached. Sit as something with great glistening fins like glass moved past the window, Yuuma's gaze unable to move away as it swam through the sands. The glassy fins looked almost identical to the sails, just as large if not larger, and it occurred to her that this creature was likely a few hundred meters away from them despite the clarity of the sight.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had to be at least as large as the ship.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But they could do nothing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then Iris' eyes widened.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then the barians slowly turned to look at the scattered cards that had been dropped once the lights turned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then Yuuma, unable to keep from mutely gasping, watched as well-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As one of the cards at the edge toppled over and clacked against the ground.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Silence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <strike>
    <span>NNRRRURRRRROROUUUUUUUUUUU</span>
  </strike>
  <span><strike>!!!</strike>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma looked toward the window with a snap, the roar echoing so fiercely it sent vibrations through the cloak and caused it to shake. It reared its great head out from the sand, massive metal fangs and empty eyes boring forward to look directly through the window.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She had no doubt in that instant, as the barians stood in terror.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had not only heard them, but could now see them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"<strike>RRRROOOURRROOUUUUUUUU!</strike>"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Chapter 36</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"POSITIONS NOW!" Bamao ordered, already positioned at the very back of the stern. The wyrm had now seen them, of that it was clear. Its great face had pulled out from the sands to bellow a challenging roar, and now as it charged it was visibly preparing to make a diving leap. "ANYONE WITH THE ENERGY TO SPARE, PREPARE TO FIRE!" she roared, wings spreading wide as she leaped upward.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The wyrm was already sailing overhead, but with a great blast of violet and rose she launched her power forward, the scent of smoking stone meeting the air as she struck the side of its face. Just as Bamao landed on the deck, the wyrm landed to the side in the sands, burrowing away quickly in frustration.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All the crew were coming out now- many manning the sails and furiously turning them to get away. Most abandoning even those stations to pool their efforts to fight, knowing just how much it would take to keep the beast at bay. As Yuuma and the others in particular ran out, it looked as though even Ka would be doing something.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What that something was was unclear, but she had her clawed hands together in an odd position when she spotted them. "KA! You!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh, Me?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka," Iris shouted, keeping things from devolving into a fight as best she could. "What's going on!? The two crewmen with us said we were being attacked by a wyrm but-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A bellowing roar met the air again, and the sand beneath the ship rumbled, rocking the craft with ease. All around them it was being kicked up- gold dust into the air, large mounds moving as the sail-like fins began to crest. It was determined now, it seemed- it could smell something, something 'grand', something it could truly make something of, and it would not stop.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was the sense that came from the roar alone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka reached for Yuuma but hesitated, aware of how quickly her claws passing through could spell disaster if it were to happen. The ninja didn't know how she felt for the moment, frankly. Scared? Angry? They could all die here, but what other emotions could there possibly be? "You need to get below deck -ka," she finally declared, the logical motion of keeping what could well be tied to her life out of sight taking priority. "We're doing our best to get away from this thing, but the last thing we need is someone as squishy as you -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What!? But-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yuuma, look!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before any argument could come, the wyrm was charging again- this time from the side, jaws opened wide into what could almost be called a grin. Yuuma watched- watched as the others rushed forward, Ka's own hand symbols flashing through before her nearly sweating form could be spotted among the others, darting forward alongside a number of them in a strange collective blur of power. It was a blast of energy that struck just beneath the monster's throat- but even that was not enough to fully take it off course. The shadow passed over, and the light shining through the fins was just like the sails, Yuuma found herself thinking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just like the sails the wyrm had now torn in its teeth, taking the rear mast down as it disappeared into the sands. Frantically, various barians streaked for the cords that had been attached- the ship tilting with every wasted second. They tore the ropes and cried out as the vessel righted itself again, the missing mast now a mess of fragmented stone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Watching as the creature disappeared into the sand, Yuuma stood stunned- and Iris, as well, at her side. Idly, the elder of them thought back to when she had been listening in on Ka and Moloch's conversation. About the younger barian who had seemingly been struck by a wyrm. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'If he survived that, he'll survive anything' had been Ka's thoughts, and at the time Iris had agreed. As far as she had ever heard, the wyrms of the desert were huge fish-like beasts with gaping jaws, capable of destroying anything in their path. It made sense. A giant dragon of a monster, tearing through and devouring everything.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At the time, she thought, of course.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Looking at even what glimpses were here, the scales and marble and gold sinking into the earth, Iris found herself wondering how anything could</span>
  <em>
    <span> possibly</span>
  </em>
  <span> survive an encounter with such a being. "Im...possible..." Iris shook, the chaos around numbing her to her core. Like the fields of war in their final moments, the shouts echoing and the vision of a man in silvery armor spurring them onward... "I..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Crap..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma's words pulled her out of thought. They'd been forgotten in the chaos- even Ka was too distracted, her move with whatever 'ninja art' against the wyrm visibly winding her to the point that she needed to recover before another go.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All eyes, it seemed, were on something other than Yuuma. Except Iris', at least. Yuuma's fists clenched, and with purpose she ran for one of the fallen lengths of rope and tore for the bow of the ship. "If it keeps going like this, everyone's going to get hurt..! We need to try something else!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HEH- Y-Yuuma, Yuuma wait-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris' shouts had no effect, the girl already rushing forward. Before any could even realize there was something to be stopped, she was climbing- hopping off the rails and steps, and then scrambling up the front mast pole like a squirrel. She was already a significant way up, her clambering moving to the fan-sail itself, when people spotted her- her hood dangling behind, her hair moving in the wind as her shoes and jeans hiked the cloak up against her waist.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All for the crew to see, but for now, the crew could only be concerned with one thing. "Wh- What's she doing!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"K-KID WHAT THE HELL-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O-OII!! OII YUUMA!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even Ka could not think of what to do and say. "K...YUUMA -KA!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma was on the top of the mast- and distantly, the wyrm took its position far ahead of the ship. Cord end tied into a noose large enough to loop around each of the masts at once, the girl stared forward and braced herself. "HOII! LEAVE US ALONE! If you don't...I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The wyrm charged. It charged and aimed as high as possible, coming closer and closer as the ship veered to the side. By the time the wyrm was airborne, it would be unable to land on the ship- nor even around Yuuma in fact, the barians below screaming for the girl to come down. Instead however-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"YUUMA!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KAAAAAA-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HOOOOOAAAAAAAAH-!" Yuuma jumped. She jumped, throwing the rope like a lasso and catching onto one of the wyrm's massive facial spikes- swinging forward until she hit the beast's face itself, grasping at long strings caught in its jaws from the rear mast as she ran. Yuuma's shoes clattered against porcelain and stone, and the enormous thing already screeched and shook in annoyance as it swam along the sands. It refused to burrow with such cargo- refused to even risk losing what it wanted to devour, instead swimming half unburied around the ship. Up and down it leaped- small, small jumps that only served to have Yuuma hold on more tightly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Small jumps, the wyrm realized, were not doing anything. So finally with a roar it charged for the ship yet again, launching itself out of the air. Were it to land above, perhaps it could crest the entire ship. Or perhaps instead it could impale itself upon the central mast, whilst becoming crushed by everything else. Whatever could have happened, it wasn't clear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever could have happened, was derailed in an instant. "HAHHHHH!!" Yuuma shouted with her grip on the cords, now running along the wyrm and swinging down from it toward the ship itself- eyes wide, and voice clearer than even the roars of the monster. "KATTOBINGU..! </span>
  <em>
    <span>GO</span>
  </em>
  <span>!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She swung around and down- the momentum of the beast carrying her as far as possible before she released the ropes. Her legs extended, her cloak nearly coming off with how far the wind was blowing it back. And while the wyrm began to fall, Yuuma's shoes connected against something </span>
  <em>
    <span>hard</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The rudder of the ship. The rudder turned under the pressure, Yuuma scrambling to get a grip on the fan-like structure. The ship, abruptly veering to the side, soon found itself no longer under the beast.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And the beast, still in the air-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"NOW! THIS IS OUR ONLY CHANCE!" Bamao roared, spying the opportunity as it came. "FIRE EVERYTHING WE HAVE!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With crushing force, the explosions rang. One by one against the sand wyrm's vulnerable, unarmored side, energy leaking forward into the air as it bellowed one last moan and collapsed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"PULL THE SAILS UPWARD!" came the further shouts, the sounds distant as Yuuma struggled to keep hold on the rudder. "RELEASE ANCHORS!" Numerous spurs, remininding Yuuma of the stones she had always seen at docks (something about tsunami?), landed into the sand. They dug deep and forced the ship to a stop, allowing the girl enough relief to finally sigh and let go.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kghf..." The sand was soft. She landed and the landing formed a small cloud, and within seconds a few members of the crew- not to mention Ka, with Iris on her back of all things for the moment- were down beside her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"K...KAKAKA..." Sputtering was all that Ka could do for a moment, Iris coming off her back. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, -KA!?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Y...Yuuma what on earth were you thinking..! You're just h-" She caught herself as the crewmen muttered among themselves, some noting her clothes, others just sighing in relief. "That was too dangerous even for someone </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> age..! What..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Heheheheeee..." Yuuma just grinned, weakly waving. "...But it worked right..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Th- THAT ISN'T THE POINT HERE -KA!! What do you think you're doing, trying to kill us all twice..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Still, the girl merely grinned- and as she slowly lost consciousness, it did not quite occur to her that Ka might have been referring to something other than the now deceased wyrm.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Chapter 37</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The crew was not blind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It would appear we need to have a chat," Bamao told Ka calmly, the ship motionless, and the crew gathered at the rail as well as below.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The crew was not blind, and they had seen the clothing beneath the cloak.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"K..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Whatever you have in mind, it includes me as well," Iris boldly argued, taking a step next to Ka. "And if what you have in mind would bring any harm-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They had seen the devices latched to the side, the deck case alike. Seen the hairline cuts as sand scratched against skin, and against fabric as well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Do not insult my integrity</span>
  </em>
  <span>," the captain hissed, standing firm and straight as she looked down to the ones between her and the unconscious Yuuma. The two more familiar crewmen, Obosci and Leveret, had already come near to the child's side.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And simply by picking her up, realized something was amiss. "...Captain, this kid is..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Keep your knowledge close," she answered swiftly, Obosci looking to and from the others as he held the girl close. Bamao's attention refocused, her gaze stern. "Your companion, however </span>
  <em>
    <span>curious</span>
  </em>
  <span>, has saved all of our lives. Therefore, we shall treat her in kind. Obosci, Leveret- bring her to medical. Lay her on a cot for now, and do nothing else. I suspect she is suffering from a rather </span>
  <em>
    <span>unique</span>
  </em>
  <span> form of fatigue. You two however...You claim you intend to take things together? Very well. Follow me," the captain ordered, walking toward the corpse of the wyrm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The creatures of Barian were odd things. Creatures formed entirely of the chaos of the world, of stirred emotions and energy, mimicking wildlife. There were few exceptions- most of them were locked tight, supposedly under the power and control of the Barian lords. One would wonder perhaps, what they had done before that time...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But those were matters for other's concern. What mattered now was the wyrm. Its wounds oozing and scattering energy into the air- its armor already darkening a touch, separating from its source of life into inert rock- and its fleshy, softer stone being collapsing, into what would be an absolute feast for any who would take in the energy there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, what was left at least, Bamao observed dryly. Aside from the difficulties in scavenging all of it, much of the life and energy was already escaping into the air. They would no doubt get one good meal out of it, and from there, nothing more beyond the material goods available.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Things they would have to return for, she told herself. They couldn't risk trying to carry such things with a broken ship, and this far out from the capital it was likely it would be some time before anyone else found it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For now however, the far side of the beast- as large around as the very ship was, but far longer indeed- made for an excellent place to talk.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You have not been entirely honest with me, Ka Ninja." Bamao allowed her words to hang upon the air, idly taking note of the way the energies of the two barians behind her moved. The nervous anxiety, the stewing anger...though they could not be certain in their trust- a fact that Bamao would have to admit logical, given her own profession and reputation- they did not have any choice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thrilling, really.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Nor I suppose, has dear Madam Yasu however," the captain added as she turned to face the pair, expression unreadable. "...I suppose I can't fault her for that. What you have in your travelling party is strange indeed after all. Strange enough that I wonder what sort of calamity would follow loose lips upon the matter."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She watched, for a moment. Watched the emotions that flitted through their eyes, their bodies, the energy around them. She watched, and ultimately found herself happy to see the taller of the two slowly enter a state of professionalism.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Goodness though, she couldn't help but admit it was fun to stoke those flames.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You've said for yourself -ka, that you don't intend to repay her with harm," the ninja began, watching warily. "But then, where does this leave our deal? Your ship is in pieces -ka, and we haven't even reached the capital."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barian hummed. "Straight to the point, aren't we? I can't say that I don't agree. The damages to the ship will set us behind by weeks. Obtaining the material and funds to make repairs will be a significant endeavor- even with all of the help this wyrm will earn us. Truly, there are a good number of others who would have you killed on the spot to fill the gap yourselves, even with what you've done."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was Iris who couldn't help but voice the confusion to that. "...But?" she asked, waiting for the other shoe to drop.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And so, Bamao turned to the wyrm. "...Do you know how many casualties we typically suffer under these attacks? Every time, we stay silent as long as possible. And every time, something inevitably breaks. Those more fortunate on the crew know this- our choice of life is a difficult one, and absolutely thankless. For the first time," she breathed, eyes softening as she looked back, "Our casualties not only number </span>
  <em>
    <span>zero</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but we have proof of that fact..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barians before her held their breaths where it applied, and Bamao continued.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I had thought to myself how strange it was, how much chaos radiated off that child- so fresh and new she clearly was, and yet there was more than even that. I wouldn't even be surprised if that helped her with her baiting of the beast- nor would I be surprised if she wasn't aware of it either. In fact, I would wager a bet to say that the only lie she's 'told' this entire time, is one that she was made to tell." Though the captain seemed to smile through those words, the other two were grim. Bamao therefore narrowed her eyes, arms held stiffly behind her back. "I stand by my words- I will speak to my crew shortly- whatever word of this human makes it elsewhere, I swear upon my very being that it will not come from </span>
  <em>
    <span>us</span>
  </em>
  <span>. We will be able to take you to the capital from here- and for that matter, I will do what I can to extend reach for other transport to you. I can only imagine after all, that two weeks is not what you can afford...but in exchange," she warned. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>I must know the risks in full.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The two were silent- Iris in particular shooting a glance to Ka from beneath her hood.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ultimately, with a deep breath, she spoke. "...One of the Barian Lords believes Yuuma to be dead," Iris explained, Ka watching the captain's response carefully. "...And we are bringing her to the one who can get her safely out of his grasp."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was vague. Hardly informative at all. For a moment Ka wondered if Bamao would call them upon it. Press for more. Demand more, even.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She did not need words to do so, and so Ka carried on, even as every inch of her shouted to hold it back. "That girl...is the one the Astrals chose to represent them -ka. The war between them both? It comes down onto </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span>," she spat, a broken 'ka' coughed at the end.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Though Bamao indeed seemed to react- eyes widening but a margin- she did well to hide her true surprise at that. She looked over both of them, and sensing only honesty, nodded. "Is that so...someone filled with this much chaos, picked by them?" She chuckled- closing her eyes, and shaking her head. "Incredible," she huffed. "If I had never believed in omens before this, I would be forced to accept it now..." Bamao sighed. "I will need to leave things largely in your hands then- I will leave you a figment to guide you to your charge. In the meantime, I will brief my crew. And..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She hesitated.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>How unlike herself, she thought, but after raising her hand to summon her figment, she lowered it almost slowly to her side. "...It is good to see that she is in caring hands," she finally spoke, leaving Ka to sputter as Iris blinked at the words. "Do make sure that we don't have to track you down for some reason though, hm? It would be so terrible to stain your lovely form with such crude and terrible things as my blades."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"K- KA-K!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a flashing blur of energy, the captain left them and the figment behind to their own designs. A serious conversation it was indeed, but alas, it seemed she couldn't help herself in some matters either.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Chapter 38</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Yuuma had largely passed out due to simply over-exerting herself, not that many were surprised to hear that. Perhaps more surprised, was Yuuma herself when she heard that part of things- and there was an awkward, tense conversation which followed it, made all the more worse when both Iris and Ka realized they didn't quite know how to best berate someone for ultimately performing the actions that saved their lives.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As it were- while she had slept, the crew had all been gathered- not that they had anywhere to go. There did not seem to be a single one among them inclined to betray the secret of a human child in their midst- it perhaps helped that Bamao herself neglected to bring mention of Astrals being involved, but ultimately the decision was unanimous.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While risky, ever more risky with the knowledge of how fragile the girl was, Yuuma's courage and drive and 'kattobing' as they'd heard her shout, had saved all of them. Something that older members of the crew whispered to be a miracle, given the casualties typically sustained in just fleeing the things.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So it was decided. They would say nothing- it wouldn't be so unbelievable that a barian had recklessly done the same thing after all. They could cover the truth in a lie with ease, and no one would be any the wiser.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course, before we set sail again -ka, the crew has some tidying to do...among other things."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehh?" Yuuma, her hood down for now while she sat in the medical room, blinked as Ka finished up the full tale of things, Iris standing at the side, and all three looking as though they weren't entirely sure how to handle things. "What things?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The room they were in was similar to the maps room, though a little less 'brilliant'. A few large, amber crystals floated at the back, alongside some other curious console-seeming growths formed from the rocks off the floor itself. The cot was perhaps the only thing that stood out- pulled from the side, it was a simple unfolding 'hammock', likely meant for lighter rests when necessary.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris was the one to answer matters. "The wyrm is being scavenged. Apparently most of it won't be edible in a matter of hours, so they're getting what they can cut off from it to prepare for a celebratory feast. You remember what Obosci mentioned when you asked about 'mess'?" she added, chuckling. "...Apparently we get to find out for ourselves."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! And you're lucky they know about this little secret of ours too- it would be more than suspicious -ka, if you ate much of this without anything happening right after."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The remark brought a pause from Iris, the small girl frowning. "...It should still be safe for her to eat though right? ...We do have plenty in the packs after all..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmmm..." Ka hummed, tapping her chin- if it could be properly called a chin. "Good question-ka. Oi, Yuuma," she ultimately barked, at least quietly. "If anything you eat starts to feel like a shock, spit it out!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's your plan!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhh? You mean like how the stuff with that blue guy felt..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kakakakaaaa, exactly...~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Bl...that's Azul..." Iris muttered, sighing. "...I guess if it was the ‘tell’ the first time, then there's no harm...do you know when they'll be ready Ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The mosquito shrugged. "It would be better to simply go down and meet them in the 'mess hall'-ka. Most of the ones who aren't working to clean up and salvage what they can are already down there anyway- not to mention -ka, there are plenty who think it's the 'coolest thing' to have a human on board!" she huffed, her tone making it clear what she thought of that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris laughed a bit quietly, only for both of them to frown when they realized Yuuma wasn't smiling- at least not broadly. Instead the girl looked down, fingers digging into the fabric of her cloak.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I...really made a mess huh," she began, staring at the floor. "...Both of you were so serious about secrets...but instead, I broke all of them. It's safe now, but..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...But nothing, neh?" Iris beamed, winking alongside the motion. "...You made a mistake. But that same mistake saved all of our lives, after all- and we don't know what happens to barians when they die! The theory is that they're just reborn again, but it's not like we can ask anyone!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! As much as I would love to tell you off for being an idiot-ka, she's telling the truth. As insane as your actions were -ka, they're the reason we're all still here; and as well off for that matter -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma didn't seem especially certain, but she did at least seem slightly less upset about things. With a slow nod, she got off the cot, unable to properly answer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed they'd need things to happen more directly to hammer it home. "How about you see for yourself," Iris encouraged, already moving for the door. "Like Ka said, most of the crew is already below deck. They might even </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> be down there if the food is ready."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And if it is ready -ka, then it's about time," the ninja huffed, all three soon making their way down. "If we're all getting a share, I'm not missing out -ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever reasons Ka had for that (though Iris could take a guess as to why), there was no time to really think about it. As they moved down the stairs to the lowest deck and mess hall, they were assailed by two things.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>First, was the scent. It smelled unlike anything Yuuma had ever seen on a plate, and yet there was nothing she could find unappetizing about it. The scent of strong spices accompanied the likely scent of the wyrm meat, and with the open doors into what was a massive, cavernous room only subtly lit by glowing coal-stones, it was difficult not to feel hungry on the spot.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The second however, was the multitude of barians abruptly charging over. "THERE SHE IS!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"TINY GIRL!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KATTOBING KID!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HEH!?" Ka and Iris almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> knowingly stepped to the side- quite happy to allow the swarm of the crew to haul the girl up in a bouncing and cheering group carry. "H-HAH!? What's going on-!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What kind of guts do you have huh!?" shouted an avian barian, his voice croaking like a parrot.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Climbing a wyrm like that...that's the stuff of adventure books! And we're living one!" cheered another, stouter one that seemed to resemble a toad.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Finally!! Finally, we can't just eat without the guest of honor!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All through the carry, each of them shouted their surprise and cheer, the girl finding herself unable to resist being pulled along with the mood. While the shock was enough that she was coming out from her momentary depression, it was not quite enough to simply settle in and act with any pride- in the end, she still didn't know what to say as she was set down on one of the many simple seats, massive amounts of wyrm meat crystalized and sparkling over racks above the 'coals'. Now that the beast was cut up and set to cook, Yuuma couldn't help but think it didn't even look like the few other meats she'd had so far. Something about the texture pattern of the crystal seemed different, and she couldn't sort out why.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There wasn't really any reason to fuss about it though, as she simply looked back and forth to the ones still clapping her shoulders on their way to their own seats, eventually filling the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The silence was for the best- in the soft light of the otherwise dark room, the captain soon appeared in a flash, arms held behind her while she took the proper, commanding position she seemed to be well known for by this point.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I see that everyone has gathered now," Bamao announced, tone pleasant, but firm. "This is a rare occasion," she continued, Yuuma watching in silence. "It is not often that we can share a meal with the </span>
  <em>
    <span>full </span>
  </em>
  <span>crew- for every reward, there has been some cost, no matter our greatest effort. Therefore, this meal is not only a meal," Bamao declared, "But a toast; to our unexpected guest, 'Tsukumo Yuuma'." A pause, as she added- "...May she live to give many others near heart attacks, for quite a while longer before we reunite," she hummed, the topic of her toast laughing a little bashfully. "Now!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With the snap of her fingers, the chunks of meat behind her were fragmented and scattered- Yuuma was nudged by one of the barians next to her, at which point she realized there were now dishes in front of them all. Simple things, but just as she picked hers up, the cooked meat flew right upon it. A chorus of cheers came from around most, while others simply clapped- they themselves bearing no mouth to eat with. Watching as most who could began to pick them apart simply ate the dish with their hands, Yuuma soon moved to do the same, hissing a bit when it singed her fingers. It was only momentary however- and soon enough, she had the first bite in with a grin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh- 's good..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahaa! Isn't it?" answered another barian.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I didn't think something that big could taste this good," another chimed in, chewing theirs idly. "I can't even describe how wrong I was..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe," yet another, with the appearance of a fragile seeming insect, "I'll finally be able to molt after this..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Whether that was true or not, though Yuuma did think she spotted some odd crackling clouds of red somewhere in the crowd (perhaps Bamao had arranged anyone near 'energy cap' with some distance away?), the girl simply found herself enjoying her food. She was one of the quickest to get through hers for that matter- eagerly chewing the pull-apart dish as the barians around her chattered about one thing or another.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was too distracted to catch exactly what was being said, but feeling someone tap her shoulder at least pulled her to reality. "Mnf?" she asked, cheeks stuffed with meat and mouth pried shut.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris beamed, holding up a set of shears. "I managed to get these from one of the crewmates," she hummed, a few of the crew moving aside or turning to watch with some interest. "It's normally used for cutting smaller wire vine, but it's as close to good scissors as we're getting for this."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"MN-" With a half-choke, Yuuma quickly swallowed her food. "You mean we can finally-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A nod. "That's right~ Haircut time~ Though I'm warning you, I'll do my best, but I probably won't get it exactly like you had before..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AH!! That's fine!! I can just tell you what it used to look like, and you go from there right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I guess..? I don't really have a mirror to show you though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, she's getting a haircut?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wow it's been so long since we thought about those..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The muttering from the crew was largely friendly, though one in particular- their head round, smooth, and spread out like a cap, and simply lumpy and oddly formed beneath it- gave a sigh, patting the edge of the 'cap' to their mushroomy state. "Mnnn, I kind of miss having hair... We can't really even make wigs though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Look bloody weird with that though anyway," snorted a more thorned seeming one, curious growths of red along their gangling limbs. It was difficult to see, but they seemed to be smirking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Still another barian- silvery to the point that they were shining under the low light- came forward to hum, their hair some mix between glass and insect wings that could almost be called a cap. "I might be able to help," they pondered, coming over from the far side. "I think I've picked up a neat little trick just now you see...here-" Pulling at one of the wings, it hovered- and while Yuuma could see her own reflection in the barian's gown-like body, the floating wing moved behind to allow a view of the back of her head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"WoaAH! It's just like going to the barber..~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, that helps a lot...thank you!" Iris didn't hesitate to get moving. "Right- hold still Yuuma, let's get going..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, I've got to see this huh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Haircuts...it's so strange to see it again..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She hadn't expected to end up the entertainment of the ship as well as the toast focus, but with the laughter and conversation in the air, she was truthfully playing as entertainment for herself as well- a cheerful end to a day that started good, took a turn, and had now pulled itself back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...Though admittedly, with just rock shears, she felt her hair looked a little more like her father's at the back, than it had at the start of everything.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She managed to keep Iris from trimming the red parts too short at least, before they finally found themselves ushered from the room to settle somewhere for the continuing trip to the capital.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Chapter 39</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was relatively smooth sailing from the wyrm and wreckage to the capital city of 'Jin'. The capital, compared to the city of Aurum, was </span>
  <em>
    <span>enormous</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Massive golden walls rose up above the ground, and it was impossible to tell where the sand ended and the walls began. Connected to the city itself were round, dome-like tents, bits of smoke steadily rising through the caps overtop- they were magnificently decorated, statues of turtle-like dragons perched seemingly on guard between each one.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was through one of these 'tents', itself connected to a sprawling and stiffened rope-bridge of a stairway to the docks, that they would be entering the city. Now that they were at the capital, they could see only the sands of the desert around them- it was a central point of the vast golden wastes, immaculate and deadly all at once. The only thing that could stand out were the guardian statues about the structure- and, Yuuma noticed with a pause, some sort of long cable stretching out from it to the far distance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I wonder what that is," Iris murmured, voicing the question Yuuma herself had. "It doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the city at all..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It is certainly an eye sore, yes."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The two jumped- turning to see none other than Kanabo, his deep voice catching them off guard. "HEHH!! You talked!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka-! Is that what you're so surprised about?" Ka chuckled, her arms crossed. "Take a good look at that stupid thing over there- it gets more ridiculous from here-ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kanabo did not seem affected by much of the banter, instead simply nodding and flicking his ears. "I was explaining to your guardian that due to the delay the Golden Teng now faces, it will make more sense for you to leave for a new source of travel. In theory, you could hire another ship- it would be safer perhaps, and you would undoubtedly make it before we could disembark again. However," he added, looking to the cable in the distance, "That is not your only option."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At this point, Ka began to fume, apparently struck with frustration for the matter. "It isn't, but the fact that it isn't makes no sense -ka..! Since when did we have any trains at all!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...A train?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"EH!? We could have taken a train!? How come we didn't do that before?" Yuuma protested, leaving Iris to puzzle out what a train even was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The mosquito merely grumbled. "Because it shouldn't have existed before -ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Because the train was not connected to any other city," Kanabo corrected calmly, expression unchanged. "The train is a recent addition- a direct connection from the capital of Cor Ignis, to the capital of Jin; Captain Bamao and myself had heard of such a thing in construction- but we had no reason to believe it operational. That aside, we were specifically to transport you three," he added, Yuuma going slightly red as she realized where the matter was going. "Which we would no longer be able to control if you were on the train."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...But now that we can't go anywhere..." Iris began, the giraffid nodding.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Correct." From his hand came three small crystals, each floating to one of the three.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hm? You're covering our fare too?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"With any luck, yes," Kanabo replied. "Make certain you have everything prepared before you enter the station. Any food, sleep, any human facilities at all," he emphasized, looking to Yuuma's re-hooded form, "Will need to be handled before you board that train."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma nodded, but Iris realized another potential flaw from there. "Wait- but if we can't risk anything on the train, what if the ride itself is..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! We'll have to ask about the travel times," Ka determined. "If we can't hit the train -ka, this at least will be enough to get a small skiff with enough cover to get ourselves going...provided we shop smart, kakakakaka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To that, Kanabo nodded. "Precisely that. The captain owes you much," he continued, bowing just slightly. "All of us do, truly. Make certain to keep yourselves alive- and if you ever have need of us again, know that we will reach out with our very souls to do so."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With those words, all three set out- Yuuma with the massive pack on her back, Iris with her usual small bundle of things, and Ka herself with what was undoubtedly their funds plus extra. They moved down the gangplank to the docks where the ship was being tied, and then farther down along the steps until they reached the 'tent' entrance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The check here will be far more intense," Ka warned, grumbling under her breath. "Unlike in Aurum -ka, the city here has to actually worry about who's coming and going, kakakaka..." Despite the brief moment of laughter, she quickly sobered up. "Be careful- I expect we'll have the same thing at the train station-ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right!" Echoed Yuuma, only for the girl to look around Ka and blink. "...Eh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris also looked around, before the mosquito ultimately did so herself. "...Is that..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"YOAAAAAAUH! YUUMA!" called a familiar voice, the elephant waving a hand as he ran down the stairway to the platform.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HANG ON FOR A SECOND!" shouted Leveret from behind, the two soon making it to stand before the group.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hm? And what's this -ka? If you're planning on coming along, be warned...we won't be giving you the pirate treatment, -kakakaka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The what-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Leveret rolled his eyes. "Nothing like that...Obosci, the box?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right!" Obosci cast whatever Ka was saying from mind, holding out a small stone box. Lifting the lid, there was a nest of soft, shredded fabric, surrounding a brilliant and almost glassy vessel of clay. It seemed to be an instrument- carved upon its front was a spiralling 'dragon', lines giving off a curious light among the blue and white. "Yuuma- this is for you, alright kid? Take good care of it yau."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ehhh?" Yuuma took the box, blinking at the instrument inside. "It's...a flute..?" It seemed like a flute of some kind anyway. Like the old one that her dad had in the attic, except a little different... "What's it for though?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Both barians shook their heads, and at the resulting confused expression Yuuma had, they explained.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Captain told us to make sure to give it to you," Leveret explained, Obosci giving a warm laugh.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"She probably can't use it herself, since she doesn't have lips!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That isn't- Hahhh." The rabbit rubbed his skull-covered head and carried on. "Listen. The captain said this is one of the oldest treasures she's ever uncovered- she can't even place a date to it," he explained, Yuuma now looking at it with unrestrained awe. "But in her words..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"'The one who should carry this xun, should be the one whose heart will resonate with its sound most- let her be the one to bring out its sound!', that's what she said yauh."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"R...really..?" Yuuma blinked, and looking toward the ship found herself staring. Far at the top, on the tallest point of the mast at the bow of the ship, she could make out the figure of Bamao herself. She seemed to look down to them, standing in silence and waiting to watch them leave until she could see them no longer. "Haaaahhhh...In that case, I'll definitely do that! I'll make a sound so loud, she hears it from home!" she cheered, carefully replacing the lid and passing it to Iris to be stowed into the pack.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Great~!" Obosci cheered, Leveret nodding beside him. "Then..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Then this is goodbye," Leveret continued, smiling somewhat sadly. "Keep safe, Yuuma- all of you," he added, giving each a nod as he stepped back."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yauh! And wherever you're headed, make sure you 'kattobing' for all of us too!" Obosci added, delighting in the grin Yuuma gained from there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a laugh and a nod, she did nothing but agree. "Aaaauh! And you guys too! Make sure all of you 'kattobing' as you set sail..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"ROGER..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AYE!" chimed Leveret in turn, both barians giving small salutes and waves as they ran back up to the dock. Before long, they had vanished up upon the ship, Iris and Ka turning the group back around to the entrance point of the city.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I wonder," Iris hummed, "What that 'xun' was from..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mhn...if there's an unknown date it's probably from before the lords -ka...but nothing more than that," she pessimistically huffed, Yuuma simply grinning as they moved through the opening door to the check-point. A small crystal chime entered the air, and the girl just laughed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's something precious to the Captain, isn't it? So then, that's all that matters! Whether it's special or not to anyone else, I'll keep my word!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The pair could not argue with Yuuma's words, once they were out in the air.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even if logic told them it was ridiculous, they found they couldn't help but agree after all.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Chapter 40</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The city was so much more difficult to navigate, that Iris wound up acting as a sort of chain-link between Yuuma and Ka, as much as the latter grumbled significantly about it. Still, the streets as crowded as they were, and filled with even more winding turns and bends toward stranger alleys and buildings, they couldn't afford to properly be separated. The buildings in Jin were very much like the ones in Aurum, with a bit of a 'curved' bend to them at various points- theoretically, Yuuma could have taken one look and simply thought 'well, it's just like there', but ultimately the many small differences were just too much to ignore.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The way that windows of molten glass sat within various walls carved from stone. The way that vines crawled over so much of what was there, carefully looked after or pruned by other barians as they walked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They moved until they were at the far end of the city- dipping into a hall much like the one they had used to leave the gate-check off the docks, only for Ka to pause.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At the gate check, they had been asked a few questions. Ka and Iris, being older, quickly fell into secretive role- they were travellers from the Ashlands, following rumor of a distant relation to a newer barian- with Yuuma's youth and attitude, it was easy to assume she had only been in the realm for a little less than a year, and ultimately there was at least one city between them and Aurum. The idea that they could have passed word from any of them wasn't difficult- and while tracking down relatives was difficult, messy, and often riddled with scams and broken hearts, it was a common enough pursuit that the reason was valid.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even if, were it true, they would be expected to fail.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Here outside the gate check leading out by train however, they paused- Iris and Ka turning on Yuuma quickly. "Have you made </span>
  <em>
    <span>certain</span>
  </em>
  <span> -ka, that we won't need to be stopping if we take this train?" she warned lowly, reminding Yuuma that they still had to find out how fast or slow the travel would even be.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris nodded, looking to Yuuma worriedly. "If it's more than a day's trip, we'll be going with the boat- but make </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure</span>
  </em>
  <span> you've prepared yourself completely," the girl warned, Yuuma snorting in reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course I'm fine...! Why would you ask now?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, for good reason -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yuuma." Iris frowned, arms crossed as her eyes narrowed beneath her hood. "Can you promise me that you won't need to </span>
  <em>
    <span>relieve</span>
  </em>
  <span> yourself during our trip?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Abruptly, Yuuma was caught part way through a reply. She could remember, rather suddenly, the time she had taken a trip for a hike with her dad- how they had gotten in the car, and after a pause, he'd turned around to ask if she needed to use the restroom first.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At the time, proud little tiny thing that she was, she'd insisted that yes, of course she was, she was totally ready let's just go.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>About halfway through the trip they'd pulled over, her dear dad laughing about how technically this was illegal but no one really cared about that anyway, while she herself puffed her cheeks and went red with embarrassment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Snapped back to the present, Yuuma muttered something.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohh? What was that ka?" Ka chuckled, easily catching the words.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I said maybe not..!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahhhh, right, well I did see a spot where we could slip to a garden...it's not, um. The solid one right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Stop talking about it like this and let's just go..!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KAKAKAKAKAKAAA..!" The ninja practically cried with laughter, wiping at a goggle-lensed eye as the two looked up. "Ka! Well, I'll ask about the train then- meet back here-ka. We'll have to see if it's worth our while..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So off they went, separating. The area of choice that Iris had found had a window looking out to the train station itself, oddly enough- Yuuma found herself taking a glance at it despite her unease, while Iris stood watch around the strange and practically alien bushes that were hiding the girl from view. They almost reminded her of the building where Bun lived, but smaller, and more squashed together- with far more orbs to them, all sending lines of green and gold through their bundles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The train, frankly, was far more worth a look. By the time she was finished she found herself outright staring out the window at the thing, her eyes wide. It seemed more like a cable car than anything, the carriages hanging beneath the wire. Gilded gold around brilliant red, each of the cars were large and boxy, intricately carved into a series of diamonds and arrow-like ridges along the curiously domed bottom. The amount of patterning over the thing was so intense, she realized she couldn't possibly have been seeing all of the detail- the only exception perhaps being the otherwise open windows, tinted only slightly red.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There were multiples like this- Multiple cables, which had visually blended into one from a distance. Only a few of them were occupied however.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yuuma, are you done yet? ...You're taking a bit longer than usual..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AH- Right!!" She hurriedly replaced her cloak, tugging the hood back into place and running out from the bushes. "Let's go!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right." With a nod, Iris thus led her friend back to the entrance of the tunnel stairwell, finding Ka leaning casually against the wall. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Took you two long enough," she snorted, jabbing a thumb behind her. "It looks like you're in luck -ka. If your friend in high places is as friendly as you think -ka, your journey ends in just about one day."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma's reaction was immediate, her eyes wide. "R..Really?! So then the train is only one day!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is it seriously..? I knew you expected it to be an option, but just what kind of device is this!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl simply grinned, already rushing down the tunnel while Ka yelped and followed with Iris in tow. "Who cares..? It sounds like any normal train to me! What's important is that we're getting there in just one day!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA!! Will you wait up so that I can handle our passage!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl barely slowed up, but it was enough to at least get through to the register without completely overtaking their guide. Ka grumbled to herself, but then brought forward the three crystals Kanabo had gifted them. "Three for Cor Ignis -ka," she insisted, the darkened glass making it impossible to determine what sort of barian lay behind it. "That's how this thing works, isn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"More taking the train?" came the humming voice from behind it. "Hmmmm...it's sure popular isn't it...this gate used to be so slow, and then the Red Lands came talking about connections, and transport...well. I need to see your passes for border crossing of course," the barian spoke, still humming. "Bring them forward..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka nodded to the other two, lifting her hand forward while the others slowly did the same. Quickly, the marks they had seen when accepting the passes appeared- shining brilliantly before the small tablets materialized, a long and snaking tendril with a single gemstone set upon the middle creeping out to 'peek'. The tendril's end looked almost like a snake- if a snake had no eyes. It looked up, and over, and around the passes, before pulling back in silence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a moment more, the gate of stone- intricately carved into bars and patterns instead of simply being a wall of rocks- sank into the ground.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"....Hmmm...enjoy your trip to Cor Ignis," the barian declared boredly. "The train should leave soon...I updated your passes to the one leaving soonest- the other three don't leave for a week or so after all...."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hihh! That long..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm...only one train at a time, after all...you came here just in time... ...You'll want 'line 4', the third car..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The three stiffened, and Ka nodded. "Ka! In that case, lets get going- come on, let's go!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was no argument, and as they exited into the dome for the train station Yuuma had very little time to take everything in- there were only a few barians sitting and waiting- a few crystals hovering in the colour red, while one in the colour yellow began to slowly fade toward green. At least one moved from their seat to follow them outside, where the various docks seemed to be lined up with the train cars.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Line four, third car...oh, I think that's over this way," Iris noted, only barely keeping her wits about her as she owlishly blinked at the train cars."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yosh! Let's go!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Before it leaves, for that matter!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They would ultimately have thirty minutes more, but with how time operated for most in barian, one couldn't fault anyone for calling that 'soon' and 'just in time'. As it was when they arrived at the doors they melted back like water, allowing them inside to the car before closing back behind them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Soon, Yuuma told herself. Soon. Soon she'd be able to find Alit, convince him to let her home, and everything would be alright.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Soon, she thought, and she dared not to think of if it could go wrong.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Chapter 41</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The train was one of the most modern- one of the most 'earthly' even- things she had seen yet. Once they had boarded the train, they were met with walls of solid and brilliant red, a colour speaking far more of the barian lord they were to hopefully meet with rather than the one whose region they were about to leave. While gold trimmed the edges of things in a decorative manner, the decoration on the inside was ultimately rather simple, and even geometric- half-heartedly tossed in where simplicity was preferred.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhhh...it's really just a train huh..." Yuuma remarked, turning from the small hall that was formed by the end to come upon numerous seats and windows. The very front of the train car seemed to lead to a door connecting to the next one- likewise, to what was behind. Beyond that there were only the seats, and a single lone barian slouching over in his seat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It did not take long for him to notice them- thick and muscular, Yuuma found herself thinking he couldn't possibly have been from the region they were leaving- he had a narrowed, pointing snout, with lines of cord seemingly stitching the top and bottom. He had no trouble opening this mouth however, as evidenced by the slight drop his jaw made when he glanced toward his carriage-mates; the barian, covered almost entirely in thin, rocky spikes accompanied by a vest and belt, stared with aged eyes, many tusks gleaming under the bright light of the carriage itself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...You're a kid," the grizzled old barian ultimately spoke, all three of the others staring.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehh!? What's that for..!?" Yuuma protested, blinking rapidly. "So what if I'm a kid..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Iris sighed, Ka took over for the sake of things. "Ka! You seem plenty weathered to this place- never see a new one-ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barian snorted, shuffling in his seat. "Bad luck," he ultimately grumbled, tossing a stone up and down in his hoof-like hand. Idly, Yuuma pondered the fact that she hadn't even seen the stone to begin with. "Kids travelling in that state...you shouldn't be on this thing, bad luck!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wha- Oii! I'll go where I want!" Yuuma protested, Ka rolling her eyes as Iris merely nudged the girl toward a seat farther away from the boar-barian's own. "It's none of your business!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is if I'm in the damn thing," he grumbled, Ka narrowing her eyes at the fellow. But ultimately he said nothing more, and so she moved to the far end with the kids.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What a pain... "Ka. Living and dead, they're everywhere," she muttered, leaning against the window rather than taking a seat. "Ridiculous -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hopefully he doesn't make any more fuss once we get moving," Iris muttered, helping Yuuma to set the luggage down. After a moment, she ultimately motioned to have it set on the bench behind their own, winking. "...Especially if you want to get some sleep- he shouldn't be able to see you from here," she whispered, "So I'd get some while you can..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh? Right now?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka-!" Ka hissed, peering over the pack. "Keep your voice down -ka! But yes; besides, we're just going to pass through the desert at this point -ka....if you expect to have anything to look at, it'll be in a few hours..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked, and ultimately shrugged. "Right..." After a moment's pause, she glanced around the pack at the boar again- who seemed to be focusing his attentions on the rocks in his hands for the moment. "...Oi, you don't think he'll come over do you..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The others traded looks, and Iris was ultimately the one to speak. "...It...should be alright," she ultimately determined.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Better here than later -ka, and I'll think of something if we're asked," she grumbled, closing one eye. "Just get your sleep -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"R- right..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With little else to do, she did just that- it was rather easy for the few minutes while they waited. With thirty minutes, she was even starting to drift off. And then-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <span>DEPARTURE IN 60 SECONDS</span>
  <span>" a faint voice rumbled, Yuuma sleeping through it with relative ease. "</span>
  <span>...59....58...</span>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The countdown chimed distantly, and Yuuma simply allowed it to carry herself further and further. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <span>30....29...</span>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She would have a good sleep...and wake up whe-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <span>3....2....1....Liftoff.</span>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hah? Liftoff-ka?</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before Yuuma could sleepily wonder about the distant voice, she was launched against the bench. "G-OH!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The train shot off not unlike a bullet- a thrown punch, launching itself along the cables at top speed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"OOuuuhsshhhhhh...aaaaaa...." Yuuma sat up, holding her head as Iris grimaced.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahhhhh shoot...how hard did you..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What even happened...?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA..!! What the hell kind of train is this -ka, if it's taking off like this!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I told you, bad luck..!" the boar called from the back, prompting their companion to hiss and snap back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Stuff your stitching -ka..! I took trains plenty when I was alive, and they didn't move like this -ka!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmn!" was the only reply, as Iris boggled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Did you really, Ka?" she asked, the mosquito rolling her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Plenty enough to know this is stupid-ka...but at least we know why it's so fast..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hhhhhhhhnnnn I don't think I can sleep anymore," Yuuma groaned, still rubbing her head as she glanced out the window. With nothing but sand passing them, it was hard to even be excited about the train- she could only think about the stinging pain at the back of her head, rubbing the hood against where it was. "Owwww..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We'll have to look at it once we get off I guess..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! You should try to get sleep again- if that was how we were taking off -ka, then just imagine how we're stopping. You'll want to be rested before that, kakakakakaaa..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma was frankly astounded at how quietly she was able to laugh, despite things.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even so, with a groan she laid back down. "Mnhhh...wake me up if there's something cool though ok..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a laugh, Iris nodded. "I'll definitely try," she indulged, Ka rolling her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! You can miss it, if that happens."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AaaaAAAaaaa nooooooo..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't worry Yuuma, I'll still be doing it..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For all the pain and grumbling, she was out like a light once again ten minutes later.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Chapter 42</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Yuuma awoke it had only been a few hours- she stretched, grunted a bit quietly, and looked outside to see what looked to largely be the same seas of gold sand, albeit with growing mounds of red in the distance, and scattered rosy-crimson rocks amid the desert wastes closer to the train itself. The more she looked out the window, the more rocks seemed to appear as well. It seemed she'd managed to sleep through most of the journey within the Gold Lands, and they were just now crossing into the region itself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While she was staring, Iris turned to spot the girl. "Oh, you're awake already..?" she asked quietly, Yuuma shrugging.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not really tired anymore..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm..." The girl frowned, but nodded. "There's not really much use trying to make you sleep more I guess...we still have a long bit to go though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A snort from behind, where the pack- and indeed now Ka as well- were sitting. "Ka, try most of the trip- at best this is a quarter of the way in -ka. The train took a wide turn a bit before you woke up- from here, it's almost a straight shot down to reach Cor Ignis -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That doesn't seem so bad..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris grimaced. "Yuuma. That means we have around 18 hours left."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HEHHHH!?" The others winced, though it seemed their fellow train occupant didn't mind the noise much. "That much longer....? But you said-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I said a day didn't I, -ka? What did you think a day was..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We were talking about a full day," Iris clarified more gently, Yuuma just sighing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnhhh...this is going to be so long then....I can't even look at my cards..." she muttered, looking back at the pack.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't even think about the flute either -ka," muttered the mosquito standing between her and the luggage. "Something that rare? There's no telling how someone will react."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To this, Yuuma pouted. "Mmnmnhhhhh..." She pouted, and moments later was out of her seat, moving back toward where the boar-barian sat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA- YUUMA," Ka hissed, Iris joining in the protest.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yuuma what are you doing..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl ignored them, instead beaming behind her hood and cowl as the barian looked up from his rocks. They looked a bit like some sort of puzzle- a series of strange lumpy pieces that could interlock- and were being interlocked back and forth. Alongside the single large round one, of course.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You weren't noisy enough from the front?" he huffed gruffly, the girl unfazed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I wanted to know what the rock things were, oji!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>OJI!?</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>YUUMA..!</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While the others continued hissing from the front, unable to really intervene for one reason or another, the boar just continued to dryly stare. "...You wanted to know about these?" He continued to stare, somehow looking even less impressed as time passed. "...Why?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Because they look neat, obviously..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yuumaaaaaaaa..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Iris buried her head in her hands, and Ka tensed up even further, the boar stared in silence for even longer. As if seeking out a lie, or a joke, or something else. "Keh! Here I thought kids like you were only interested in those 'electric' things, I hear you all whining about it enough whenever I see..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh?" Yuuma blinked, frowning. "...I guess d-pads are electric, but it's not that bad to use the table for duel monsters..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmn. I hear about that one less," the old man grumbled, Ka and Iris slowly easing up as the conversation went on. For all that she had the power to send shocks of stress through their being, she had unfathomable luck as well. "The cards with all the monsters and warriors and things...when </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> was alive," he scoffed, "There were </span>
  <em>
    <span>suits</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You had cups, you had coins, sticks, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>swords</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And you could use them for </span>
  <em>
    <span>lots</span>
  </em>
  <span> of games!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Suits..?" Another blink, and Yuuma quickly realized what he was talking about. "EH! Those are the cards that Akari sometimes uses...! ...normally for the games I'm not supposed to be there for..." she muttered, huffing and looking to the side.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohhh, you still have those after all ah? Whenever I mentioned them to other pipsqueaks, they would say 'well, my cards are better!' If they're so good, where are they!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I met someone who painted them here..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Admittedly, that seemed interesting to the boar. "Painted? ...Hmn! Waste of time, but we only have time here, so good for them I suppose..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnh, but Oji, you still haven't told me about the rocks..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The interest grew, for the girl rather than the talk of cards. "Hohohhh, you really want to know then? Well..! These are something plenty from my era knew about...not a lot bother to make them though, see?" He set the rocks down on the bench, a small smile creeping upon his maw behind the stitches. "They're called 'tali'. At home, you made them from the bones of animals, right from the knuckles- those bones were too small for anything else once you had the meat and things, and they were shaped in ways that made them fall a certain way hm?" Shuffling the rocks over, Yuuma stooped down almost onto her knees to look more closely at them, eyes wide with interest. "You could play a few different versions of the game- you could throw a ball up, like this one see," he explained, lifting the large round stone, "And try to snatch as many of the tali as possible. Or, you could use them to try and send others into a hole...or, you could gamble- you would throw all of the tali, and if they landed a certain way, you would get points. For some throws, you could get a lot of points...we had plenty of names! Things like Venus, and Vulture...if you rolled all 'ones' though, you rolled 'dog'. No one wanted to roll 'dog'!" he laughed, rasping chuckle meeting the air as Yuuma grinned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Like dice..." She blinked however, looking back to the stones. "Ah, but Oji, if there aren't really bones here, then where did these come from..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What, you don't think that's obvious?" the old boar snorted. "I made them! With lots of carving, and patience!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HEH! You did all that to a bunch of rocks..!? They look so smooth though..." Yuuma marveled, eliciting another laugh.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course! I made sure to work them over until they were </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfect</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And if I have to, I can make another set again! That's what kind of skill I have now!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hwuuueeeehhh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>From the other end of the train, Iris and Ka found themselves quietly marvelling. Iris with a bit of gleeful awe, more than thrilled to see things coming out alright, and Ka with mere shock. The limitless nature of Yuuma's luck was </span>
  <em>
    <span>baffling</span>
  </em>
  <span> to behold. It did not take long before both Yuuma and the barian were actually stooped down into seats on the ground- it wasn't as if anyone would be coming through to their carriage- with all of the tali getting tossed around, occasionally adding the ball into things. The conversation between them went from stilted, to hopeful, to simply 'warm'. Before any of them knew it, the old boar was lost in tales of his youth, Yuuma eagerly taking it in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...and that was the </span>
  <em>
    <span>highest</span>
  </em>
  <span> score I ever had," the barian- who still hadn't given his name- was saying.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhh...so much..." Yuuma, somewhat distracted, was barely paying attention to her own rolls. "Oh- what was the highest score you ever saw though?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnnnh, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>highest</span>
  </em>
  <span> score..." He rubbed at his chin. "Ohhhhh yes. I remember clear as day! We were playing</span>
  <em>
    <span> one last game</span>
  </em>
  <span> in the halls of the amphitheatre- it was a wonderful place!" he continued, easily distracted by the task of explaining the structure. "They stopped using it when I was young- apparently it was the last one to be used for what it was meant for at all! All of the others...they were turned into fortresses, or shrines for some other thing," he huffed, waving his hand, "Or just empty! The Prince where we lived though, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>loved</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be able to fight- a </span>
  <em>
    <span>stadia</span>
  </em>
  <span> was not right for it, he said! It needed to be the way our ancestors had done it, but better! So, he cleaned up the amphitheatre, and put it to use!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Amp-y...the..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Amphitheatre! </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ahm-pii-thea-tre</span>
  </em>
  <span>," the old boar intoned, smiling all the same. "I can't even be upset that you don't know, because as I said, they stopped using it after..." Quietly, he trailed off, Yuuma tilting her head in confusion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"..Oji?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A sad sigh. "Ahhh...it's nothing. Just a bit of sentiment clouding up my thoughts, hm! Where were we then...yes! The </span>
  <em>
    <span>highest</span>
  </em>
  <span> score. We had been waiting for..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Again, the silence. Yuuma shrank back somewhat, wondering if continuing on the topic was even a good idea. Before she could say anything however, he spoke again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well...that part...that part isn't important, now is it?" he chuckled weakly, falling back into the story. "What's important is that Michel, had a </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> lucky streak that time. He said, 'Today, nothing can fall wrong for me'..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Though the barian settled back into his tale after a few stumbles, Yuuma herself couldn't shake the unease. Eventually Iris was even able to catch it from afar- coming near to fortunately help the girl from making things awkward.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yuuma," she began, the two turning, "We're passing over more of the Redlands now, you should come see."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh- You mean we're not just over mixed stuff now?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, the barian settled back into his attitude. "Hmn! It's the same fire rivers and stones as ever!" he huffed, gathering his things all the same. "...I guess it's good for kids to show interest in the countries they're coming into though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahh- thanks for playing with me though Oji!" Yuuma hurriedly added, even if the smile behind her cowl was still a bit strained.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To this the boar merely nodded, shuffling back to his seat. For a moment it had been fun- the moment now was over.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma settled into her seat back up front and gave Iris a quiet, thankful nod, before looking back out the window. As the boar had said, it was like a volcanic plain- or perhaps what one would imagine such a thing to be like. A vast expanse of rocky, carnelian hills, occasionally pocked with thorny gemstone brush-growth. Rivers of glowing orange-red could be seen streaking through the rock, flowing out from the peaks of hills, and steaming as they flowed. There would be no swimming in the 'waters' of the Redlands, that was for sure- it was much too hot, much too lava-like for that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps because it was from above, but it quickly became something that all blurred together for her. The silence now surrounding the train carriage, alongside the soft glow of the Redlands below soon succeeded therefore, in what she had failed to do sometime earlier.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And against the window, she soon closed her eyes and fell asleep.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0043"><h2>43. Chapter 43</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Greetings Passengers. We are encountering a larger than typical Chaotic Storm. Please keep any belongings nearby, and prepare for possible crash.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She barely heard the message, and it was littered with the mutterings of other distant voices- voices of protest, grumbles of confusion-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before any hand could waken her however, what echoed overhead through the force of magic will soon repeated itself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Please brace for emergency. I repeat. Please brace-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A sickening screech of metal. The cries of stone upon stone, as blades on chalkboard. Howling winds and roaring flames, and the violent tremors, the carriage rocking back and forth and finally crashing into shattered glass and twisting gold.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>-orm- -- -ttac-  -- - -pinicu-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma's eyes were open, but by the time they were, she was already in the air. Cloth was pulled by force as she fell, and her eyes saw nothing but flying scraps, fire, dusty ash, and-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Was she screaming?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(Maybe? Maybe not?)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Someone was screaming-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>(All of them, how could they not-)</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma choked in a breath and-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>BAD LUCK I SAY..!</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before she could be struck by debris before even making it to the ground, a strong arm had grabbed her. Pulled her upright, shielded from the sound of crackling gems and smoking cable ash. As she was set down her vision cleared- </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And what she saw was chaos, but even worse. A massive beast, crouched and screeching upon a fallen carriage. Legs like a lion, and face beaked and cruel- formed from rock itself, aflame and alight, no wings to behold and instead streaking smoke and ash in its place.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It screeched.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It charged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The boar from the carriage leaped forward to meet it with a single fist, down beneath the beak, around to the side, and through to slam solidly against the thing's face, not a scratch making it against his own arm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Stone crumbled. Fractured. Armor became dust and ash and the flames left behind screamed. They reared back and blazed, as the barian snarled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't think I can't strike flame now!" he challenged, and the beast screamed louder- but it did not strike again. It launched backward instead- formless, endless, and ducked into the tunnels of earth below, rejoining the fires of the Redlands once more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was dazed. Dazed, baffled-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yuuma!" Iris was shouting.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"K- Ka!! Yuuma!" Ka was as well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The boar came near, and stared. Stared, and as both did so- one, hood down, face cut slightly and bleeding, the other as unchanged as ever.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All she could think though was-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That was..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Hmn! Nothing so surprising as what you're doing! Didn't think any of us </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> bleed," the boar grumbled, only to stare with alarm when the girl corrected him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...that was like...how Alit..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were surrounded by fire, rock, and ash.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Surrounded by chaos, confusion, and emotion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In so many more ways than one, not a single one there knew where to begin next.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0044"><h2>44. Chapter 44</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>While Yuuma had slept, they had come across the hottest regions of the Redlands- soon enough, they would be coming toward the south it seemed. Ka didn't quite know, and grumbled something about consulting the map. Iris merely smiled, stating they would get there when they got there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was when the announcement had come over the air. Telepathy wasn't a common ability among barians, but it wasn't so uncommon that the so-called 'working class' wouldn't have it either. Ultimately, it seemed a good ability for a train-conductor to have, assuming things such as radios hadn't been invented along with it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And really, Ka would have bet on that being the case.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The announcement was more concerning anyway.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka- Chaos storm?! We're just going to continue on through that!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The boar in the back snorted. "It isn't as if we can stop, after all! The train is well protected, but it could become rough- this happened on the way </span>
  <em>
    <span>to </span>
  </em>
  <span>Jin as well," he continued, carefully making sure he had his various rocks and things tucked away. "So make sure all of that nonsense you have there is well secured." He barked a laugh, still in mildly good spirits from earlier on. "If you lose anything, will you even notice though! You have more than I have in my house!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It can't seriously be that much..." Iris muttered in protest, Ka rolling her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They couldn't exactly explain or anything...not that it would be his business as is. "Ka! Ridiculous...trains in life had stops for these thing-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were cut off by the emergency warning.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"K-K...KA?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris glanced out the window at that point, and soon grew white. "...I think I can see what's causing the emergency," she started, the tremors already starting. The boar was already standing and coming over, the shaking growing worse. "And I don't think this is nor-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Screeching metal. Telepathic warnings cut short by the scattered chaos in the air.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were falling in seconds, and Ka cried out in unwanted horror of what was now occurring. "SH-SHIT!!! YUUMA -kA!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma was falling- no doubt in shock. Her wings couldn't get her close enough, even if she could have grabbed her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris was screaming- she could get her but not. "YUUMA!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barian with them kicked off of part of the carriage that had yet to reach the ground. 'BAD LUCK', he screamed as he reached the girl, snatching her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was when the mosquito saw what Iris had.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'Opincus'. That was the word that had partly come through in the warning. Living fire wearing stone as its mask, a griffin without wings, with all four limbs of the great and mighty lion. What mattered was not that, but instead that it was being struck with one fist. That as everything crashed around them, the fires were being cast back. That in the end-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma was alright.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris reached her first. Then she herself. And then that boar, that grumpy, pessimistic old coot who was out-matching her own picky moods.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Too little too late to hide the obvious from him she thought with a sharp stab of fear, spotting the line of blood on Yuuma's brow. Too little, too late-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thank god, the barian was a fool!</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought, and how someone old enough to talk about things like 'amphitheatres' missed the fact that barians never bled was a mystery but at the very least one she'd take.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then Yuuma had to speak.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then the barian had to recognize who she was speaking of.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Metal, stone, glass, and ash all settled around them, barians from other carriage cars finding their footing, but Ka simply stared alongside Iris and found herself waiting.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Because hell if she could think of a way out of this if things went south with the barian that had just punched a beast half the size of the desert wyrm into submission in one blow.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0045"><h2>45. Chapter 45</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He had been saying she was bleeding, she realized after already commenting about his fighting- but her words were enough to shock him more than even the blood. The barian- his ears seeming more horn-like now in the firelight and smoke than they had at all while simply cast in the bright light of the carriage, light that had softened all the sharp edges unlike the red sun outside- stared with wide, wide eyes, and despite himself even gasped through his stitches.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A..Alit, you say?" he choked, before hurriedly stomping figuratively upon the words. "Bah! Coincidence- Alit is the name of the 'Red Lord', you wouldn't know of him!" he insisted, Yuuma automatically pressing more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But- But you know who I'm talking about don't you..! That was the punch he used when we met! The weird...counter-blow thing-!" Which she hadn't really properly gotten, but had sort of pulled off anyway at least.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's not a counter-blow 'thing', it is a 'Counter-blow'! Which you would know if-! ...If..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barian quieted- he couldn't bring himself to continue, simply staring at the girl in quiet shock.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma as well wasn't sure what to say. None of them were.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>How</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" the barian managed, voice at the edge of anger and fear all mixed in with sorrow. A true reflection of the chaos still clouding the air- the antithesis to the chaos that Yuuma seemed to so carry and represent. "How did you come to know that name? You are young- too young to possibly..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No one could speak. Yuuma opened her mouth a few times, and found herself looking down. It was so unlike what she would have done before- simply speaking without hesitation, jumping right in. Part of her missed being able to do that. The other part heard the cracks in the old barian's voice, and cracked with it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...he came to the human world," she finally answered. "Alit... ...the Barian lord, did... ...that's where we met. Where I saw..." Yuuma swallowed, looking up to the barian. "...I'm sorry," she managed, finding her own eyes watering as well. "If you knew him...you probably didn't know they were the same. Everyone I've met...everyone who mentions the barian lords, they said they never see them- but for me, they were..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yuuma," Iris warned, coming near. Ka as well came to join them, eyeing the boar with quiet caution.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...How did you know him?" Yuuma asked, pressing on despite that. "...Alit... It has to be the same one, right? The one who likes 'hot-blooded' duels, who fights bravely with his fists, who-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Please," the barian rasped, choking. "...That is enough."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were quiet once more- the boar taking a seat, and Iris soon following.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka remained vigilant. Glancing back to where barians from the wreckage were slowly gathering, and then to the one she so feared now. "Who I am, is nothing more than a sad, sorry old fool, who was too small to do anything that mattered when someone needed it most," he lamented. "Who I am doesn't matter, and how I knew...How I knew him, it also doesn't matter. How could it?" the barian wept.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Doesn't it matter to you?" Yuuma swallowed, the silence of the others leaving ample room for them to work through their own woes and worries. "...I didn't know Alit very long. But if you connected to him even for a little bit, that's what matters! Because Alit...Alit's the kind of guy who only needs to talk to you once, and then you're friends for life! He-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, is that what happened then, when they took his head!" The girl froze on the spot. "They had always said, 'the greatest brothers, born apart but destined to be'- and then suddenly, all of the soldiers had him brought in! All the people, called to witness the execution of a traitor! As if our sparring amphitheatre was as barbaric as in the ancient times! And all we did, was scream, and cry, and move on!" Yuuma's stare was filled with shock, but it soon softened. And as it did, so too did the barian's angry resolve. "...We all cried, all of us children...but tears, they can't save someone..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Could you have done anything though, back then?" Iris softly offered, gently lowering her cowl. It was a vulnerable matter for her- even compared to Yuuma, Iris kept herself covered and hidden, as if she herself would be even easier to pick out of a crowd without the cloth in the way. The barian of course gave no reaction, and Iris continued- though her hood at least, stayed on. "You were just a boy, weren't you? You were... ...There are always things we can't control. It's not your fault that tragedy happened before your eyes. You lived on, didn't you? I saw you talking to Yuuma- about better times, about the things you enjoyed after. You were able to enjoy yourself. So..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...So, you can still see Alit too, can't you?" Yuuma interrupted, Iris jumping a bit at the shout. "That's where we were going..! To go to where Alit lives, to talk to him, and-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's enough spilling beans -ka!" Ka hissed, Yuuma clamping her mouth shut on reflex. "You are </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> trusting! Honestly -ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You mean like how she trusts you..?" Iris hummed dryly, the mosquito hissing in reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! As if she would!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma said nothing to that, but Iris couldn't help but observe the slightly betrayed expression she had briefly before their 'guest' finally spoke.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...You're a strange bunch, aren't you?" the old barian sighed, eyes still misty with tears. "You...that blood is human somehow, isn't it? You said you met brave Alit in the 'human world', not the 'living world'...how could anything but a human see it in that way, after all..." As Yuuma stared in silence, the boar rubbed his face. "...After I settled here, I came to be called 'Ghihale'," he eventually spoke, taking a few moments to breathe. "In life, I learned how to fight. For my heroes," he choked, "And for the friends I had, who couldn't do it for themselves. I lived fighting, and eventually, even died fighting. That is what brought me here," 'Ghihale' explained.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had quite a story to tell, it seemed- for what reason, none of the group could be sure. Whether due to fear, or respect, or mere confusion however, they stayed silent.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"For me, it was the capital which was nearest to where I fell. I 'grew' there again, and comfortably. Cor Ignis...it reminded me of home," he breathed. "...Perhaps this is..." Ghihale trailed off, and sighed. "...The amphitheatre there, it serves the same purpose as the one from my living home once did- big, huge, with a great tree at its center...and at the top, that is where barians do battle. As soon as I could, I began to take part in those matches. Filled with passion! Clashing, endlessly! A new form of fight! And then one day...</span>
  <em>
    <span>one day</span>
  </em>
  <span>...I clash fists with someone I've never seen before. Someone who takes me down faster than anyone I've ever seen! ...I wanted to speak to him after, but he left even when the winner was announced. But the way he fought...the moves that he used..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Th...The Red Lord was in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>arena</span>
  </em>
  <span>..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...And in disguise apparently -ka, and good thing..! Here I thought they never left their damn thrones..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps to no surprise, Ghihale did not immediately answer. Instead, Yuuma had to press for more. "...You didn't know, did you, back then? ...You just thought..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why would one recognize someone so old?" Ghihale snorted. "Someone so many years beyond when they saw them last..! It wasn't as if I said anything either! But I..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...You didn't realize he was the Red Lord either," Iris continued, Yuuma looking down.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...That he'd forgotten...everything..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ghihale didn't seem to know precisely what he wanted to say to that. If he had thought Alit remembered his past, or otherwise. Eventually it came forward with a sigh. "...No man who was killed in such a place..." He closed his eyes, and slowly, moved close- reaching for Yuuma's hand, and lifting it when there was no resistance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The others held their breaths.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I want to teach you something," he said quietly. "You claim you recognized the 'counter-blow', but you did not truly</span>
  <em>
    <span> know</span>
  </em>
  <span> it. If you plan to have your heart resonate with another in battle, you need to know how best to engrave your names upon those hearts," Ghihale insisted, Yuuma's eyes widening as the words echoed alongside words she'd heard from the one she knew at home. "Listen- feel it," he added, moving her arm and folding her hand into a fist. "You move down- from what is almost a met punch, but just below- and around, pushing it away. Because it is not the fist that you are to strike- you follow their arm back instead, and then, right here," he motioned, Yuuma's fist gently brushing against warm stone-seeming flesh. "Counter-</span>
  <em>
    <span>blow</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma nodded- and behind them, Ka frowned. "...They're gathering the passengers -ka...get that hood back on."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hn! We won't be going anywhere soon. There was a crash with another train, a few weeks ago; the passengers set up shelter, and waited for reconstruction."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"They rebuilt the entire train..!?" Iris choked, eyes wide.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But that must have taken ages..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Evidently, we'll be walking then..." The ninja grumbled, glancing toward the cable from the trainline. The chaos, however slowly, was clearing. She couldn't help but notice somehow, that it was clearest around</span>
  <em>
    <span> them</span>
  </em>
  <span>. "At least we have a handy 'yellow brick road'-ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Taking the scenic route then..?" There was something wistful in Ghihale's voice- but as the boar stood, he nodded. "...Gather your things. I'll tell the conductor that much, that you had no need for refunds, or similar..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Do you want to come with then, Oji?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At Yuuma's suggestion, the other two grimaced- but whether or not the boar had seen the expressions, he simply shook his head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...My time has passed. You gave this old man words of comfort, but in the end, I cannot move on from what I remember. And what I remember, little one, is shame, and fear. ...It's a coward's request...but if you plan to go meet with him, make sure that you show him that counter-blow, the way I showed you as well. Carve his name into your heart, and have him carve yours in as well. And if you can..." His voice was quiet, and weakly, he smiled. "Ask him if he remembers...'Matteo', perhaps. Tell him that Matteo, and the others...tell him, they did not forget."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>One could have wondered if that as well would only bring sadness to Alit, when presented before him. It was a thought that certainly ran through Iris and Ka's own minds, both of them studying the boar uncomfortably as he looked to Yuuma.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma however, hood carefully pulled up, just nodded. "AAah. ...That's a promise, Oji..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmhnhm..! Then...I will hold you to it! ...Safe travels, all three of you. Creatures like that are rare encounters along the line, but..." He trailed off, frowning. "...Hmm. I have a feeling...this is something that should be kept quiet. ...Be careful. Especially you, little one. "</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HAH!! What do you mean, especially me!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! It means the obvious of course!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry Yuuma, but you're the one getting us into these messes..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh!?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ghihale took advantage of the bickering to make his retreat- he politely and quietly slipped away, soon joining with the remaining train passengers in silence. By the time he looked back, Ka had already zipped toward anything that had fallen from their pack and pulled it back together, the trio now walking away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And in those moments, he realized-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It really was clearer where they were, the residual chaos of the storm in the air thickening almost immediately once they had made it around the nearest hill of stone. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0046"><h2>46. Chapter 46</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The Redlands were in a number of ways far more 'scenic' than the Gold and Ashlands behind them, and yet in others not at all. For one, everything was very hot, and very red- which made sense, it was called the</span>
  <em>
    <span> red</span>
  </em>
  <span> lands. After a while all of the warmth started to blend into itself, and while the cloak kept Yuuma relatively cool, it was very tempting to take the hood off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She didn't, mostly because she suspected that if the area around her eyes felt so warm, taking the hood off would not help.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So it was all very red. But it was a varied set of the colour- the rivers now closer than ever, the stones rising around them like foothills, with more obviously crystal ones sitting upon them as boulders would. They more they walked along the line, a yellow-brick-road turned cable, the more they started to see rusty shards of 'grass' as well, stuff that Yuuma would have felt tempted to touch if not for the fact that she could feel the heat through her shoes even now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her clothes of course, had long since been put back in the pack- and good thing too, as it would probably be days more before they got to the city at the point they'd made the decision, and no one wanted a repeat of the first bath woe. It had already been a while as it was- no need to add </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span> discomfort.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And how long had it been, Yuuma found herself wondering. When she had travelled alone she hadn't counted the days. She'd wandered, nearly perished, and found food. She'd stocked up as much as she could, wandered more, and then nearly perished again. If she thought about it, her hair had already been a little limp at that point- whether from a lack of shower, or otherwise.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She sort of wondered if Bun had somehow cleaned her up in her sleep- though she didn't think about that too long, not especially keen on figuring out how one would do that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Regardless- her hair had, by the time she met Iris, felt a bit like it normally did when her grandma pulled her over and grabbed the scissors. Going to a hairdresser wasn't really necessary, grandma would say, when you could just trim up the edges and call it a day.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So....a month then?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma didn't slow down in her walking, days into their trip as the thought came, but she did find herself losing focus of the lands around them. The more they walked, the more it brightened. They'd gone up over a smoking hill, and up a few more, and eventually a glance back allowed them to behold the chaos storm as it slowly made its way beyond where the train had even been. A massive, nearly black cloud it was- sparking rose and fuchsia, practically forming a snarling face as it moved.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'It's like looking at a thundercloud...' she'd said aloud at the time, and while Ka had laughed and teased about how if they'd been through a thundercloud in a train no one would have had that mess, Iris had simply nodded awkwardly and smiled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They had kept moving. Taking rest only where Ka, taunting about how sensitive human skin was, deemed it safe enough to lay out the sleeping pack for the sole sleeper among them. Snacking on the way, chatting, wandering...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The surroundings brightened- more of a friendly, welcoming red than a dark and angry one. A red that wasn't quite blood-red, but certainly not light enough to be 'pink'. The stones formed trees, but mostly they formed distant hills and mountains, and tiny 'blades' of grass. It came to the point where she could even choke and point at various ram-like creatures huddled up the hills- as if they had put a colour filter over the scene of Italian farmlands, and perhaps added a few extra embellishments just for the thrill of it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Other stone structures had began to rise up as well. Pillars denoting certain locations- marks along the ground, for roads. The land was over all far more organized it seemed, than the Goldlands- or at least it was, the closer to the capital they moved.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So many days in however, and her eyes simply glazed over the lands, the pillars, and lowing 'cows' (which truthfully seemed more like strange six-legged armadillos who happened to be equipped with unevenly grown crescent horns and wide, coal-like eyes).</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Assume a month perhaps, before she had met Iris. It had taken two weeks to reach the Aurum after that. They'd spent a day in that city, and three more beneath it in the rivers. Two more on the Golden Teng, at which point they'd reached Jin. That made a month, and three weeks, and then with this...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma shook her head, and breathed deep- up front, Iris paused for a moment from their walk. Waiting to perhaps say something, ask something, do anything.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Instead it was Ka who spoke, a near cackling laugh meeting the air. She had been getting more and more cheery as they went- undoubtedly because they would finally be over with the journey, and she'd be able to go back to what was familiar without any of them ending up dead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Or maybe it was something else. There was something about the elation that didn't seem right, Yuuma though. And not 'not right' in the way that people said about anyone they thought suspicious. Just...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Like something was wrong.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka was speaking though, and what she was saying soon brought a grin to Yuuma's face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This is where we leave the cable -ka!" she laughed, gesturing upward. As their eyes followed it, they noticed that it had begun to move upward- and continuing to trace the path, it did not so much as dip along the hill they were walking up, but instead continued onward. The farther up they looked, the more they realized there was a wall off into the distance. A great, rose-red wall, rough and naturally grown from the earth. A gilded platform could be spotted distantly, from which other cables could be seen stretching off into other directions. They were different colours from the gold one- and the gold one being connected at all proved that they were looking at the Cor Ignis train-station from afar. "We keep following it, we'll just hit the wall! But if we take this path here..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The pair followed Ka with grins on their faces, listening to the 'kakaka's of her chuckling until she finally stopped. They were down at the bottom of the hill, and on the main road that they had seen once or twice thus far in the more recent hours of the trip. And now, following that road around the very hill they had been upon, they all stopped and gasped.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, except for the mosquito of course. Ka simply beamed smugly, as if she were somehow responsible for the city existing at all. "There we have it -ka! Cor Ignis!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Pleased to have beaten the train party?" Iris couldn't help but chuckle, their companion scoffing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! A massive party like that could never have beaten us, even if they had all set out right away! Obviously I'm just glad to have this over with soon -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma couldn't even bring herself to think about the 'oddness' of Ka's tone again, instead grinning at the walls before them. She thought, out near the middle, she could see something from within the city peeking out even higher than the great walls themselves- something that nearly reached the view of the sun, forcing Yuuma to squint and ultimately look away. Like a flower perhaps, or maybe something else.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Instead she focused on the walls. Pillars were carved directly from the stone, with great statues of animals and even other barians alongside the Romanesque architecture. All of this stood out from the rock to frame the great and massive entrance to the city, at which could be seen guards, and even other barians presently entering through the path.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was huge- and despite the fact that it was likely the same size as Jin had been, it seemed somehow even larger. Yuuma's grin refused to fade, and ultimately it took Iris nudging her to grab her attention.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well? What are we waiting for? Let's go find your Red Lord, neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn't wait.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0047"><h2>47. Chapter 47</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>[HEARTLAND CITY]</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Things had been quiet after Yuuma had left. Eerily so, and while they had expected that trouble would follow their friend, they had not expected that to be the case for so long.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then again, nor had they expected Yuuma to be away for so long either.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A few days passed and in Heartland they had to explain what matters rested upon that child's shoulders to the family left behind. A week, and Kaito found himself looking to Chris as Chris as well looked to him, the two of them asking themselves</span>
  <em>
    <span> did something go wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was no way to tell. No way to know. Chris soon had Tron and his brothers doing their own work to look into matters, but there was </span>
  <em>
    <span>no way to know</span>
  </em>
  <span>. They were left with nothing. Waiting with nothing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The only proof that things were perhaps going to go well, was the fact that the Barians had yet to strike as well. There were troubles among the kids of course- Ryoga in particular had been incessantly barging after the tower, asking, demanding to know where Yuuma had gone, </span>
  <em>
    <span>when</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yuuma would return for that matter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And they didn't know.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rio had not yet woken up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryoga had a look in his eye, a look of fear, as if he were hiding something.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Things were growing tense, and time was running short.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Time was growing short, and as Kaito opened his eyes another day, he realized he did not know how much more time he had.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not the kids.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not Ryoga.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not the Arclights, nor Heartland, nor anyone in it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His vision was so terrible it was a miracle he could see anything at all. He could</span>
  <em>
    <span> feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> his body shutting down, feel the weakness in his limbs as he stood.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He was running out of time.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma wasn't here.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They did not know where Yuuma was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They </span>
  <em>
    <span>could not know</span>
  </em>
  <span> where Yuuma was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But they knew- he knew- that when Yuuma did return, the Numeron Code would still follow the same rules they had learned of. The same rules Jinlong had shared, and the ones that Yuuma </span>
  <em>
    <span>would not know</span>
  </em>
  <span>, let alone be able to follow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We need to draw out Mizael," he had told Chris that day, two months later.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And Chris had looked to him at first with fear, and then resigned understanding. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I think I have a way for us to do that," he had replied, and so once more they set to work.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0048"><h2>48. Chapter 48</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The closer they had come to the gates themselves, the more it became clear just how utterly and unbelievably massive the city of Cor Ignis was. When they had arrived at Jin, it was comparatively from a distance- the ship itself was already so large that they were a fair ways off the ground. When they had docked, they were still some distance from the city walls as well, entering instead through the yurt-like structure connected via covered bridge. As such, they had never had to stand right at its edge, taking in its splendor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Here, they had no choice. Yuuma's eyes widened the closer they got, gasping at the sight. "It's like it's a mountain..." she managed to mutter, the others as well finding themselves somewhat distracted by the size. They were so starstruck in fact, that as they came to the gate keepers- both armed with great poleaxes and garbed most curiously in actual armor and cloth- that it took a moment before they even realized they were there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As it were, had they simply kept walking, they would likely have found themselves crashing into a set of lowered axes- fortunately, this was not the case. In fact, despite the professional tone they held, they seemed fairly amused.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Greetings Travelers," the first of the guards- covered in mud-like 'feathers' forming massive hands. "State your business with Cor Ignis."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As the three choked, scrambling for their cover in almost uncharacteristic alarm from the tallest of them, the second of the guards smirked- face partly obscured by a hat resembling a large starfish, attached to a body of coral. "Shocked?" they chuckled, Yuuma voicing her response immediately.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's so big..! How are the walls so big!? It's like you cut out a mountain!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The second guard broke into laughter, while the first merely smiled. "It's been there since before we were stationed here- only the Red Lord himself would know!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not that any can ask of course- Ahh...tourists then?" he asked, Iris blinking at the word.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Tour...ists..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We're here to find a relative of hers -ka," the mosquito insisted, pulling the lie together as the guard's smiles dropped. "Came here from the Ashlands."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The ashlands?" the second gasped, the first nodding seriously.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Let's see your passes then," he murmured, waiting for them to hold their hands out whilst tapping his poleaxe against the ground. In response, the walls themselves seemed to shine- forcing the passes from view to be seen. "Ashlands...you've come quite a way then."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"An impressive feat, especially with someone so young in your number- we could feel the chaos even an hour ago."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HEHH!? That long!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma's attitude naturally drew chuckles from the guards- both this time- even while they traded uneasy glances. "Of course!" the second managed to insist, beaming. "But you know, if you're looking for family, you should take time to see the sights of the city too then," he insisted, his partner nodding.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's right," he agreed. "Cor Ignis has much to offer and see; it's the pinnacle of the Redland's progress."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Just recently, we were even able to expand our train station- and that's just on the outside," Guard-2 noted with a wink.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhhh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Iris hummed in consideration, Ka merely waited for the passes to slip back into their hands and fade away. "Ka! We'll see how things go first- handle the errands on the list -ka," she insisted, both guards nodding. To the outside eye, it felt more as though a young barian were being guided by two concerned and more experienced fellows- hopefully, they thought, that would pay off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thus, behind them and within the small tunnel going into the walls, the gates sank.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"In that case, as all is in order, enjoy Cor Ignis," the first guard insisted, smiling slightly as the second grinned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"However long you stay, have a wonderful time!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yosh!! Will do, spear guys!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Spear guy..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahahaa!! Yes, good!" shouted the second, the group soon losing sight of them after the gates reclosed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Despite the separation from the light outside, they were not left in the dark long. Along the roof of the tunnel- far shorter than any had expected, leaving some support for Yuuma's exclamation that it had been carved out of the mountain itself. While parts of the tunnel were wide, rough, and littered with stalactites and stalagmites both, they were still somehow shining with veins of orange through their structure- and more importantly the light of the sun on the other side.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What the exited into was bustling- more so perhaps, than even in Jin. It was not for an over abundance of people however- in fact as Yuuma stared, it became clear that the amount milling through the streets was about as many as in Jin. But there was a certain increase of energy she realized as they came out- the walls of the great city rose high around them, rough and ragged, but filled with holes and pillars giving way to paths inside. Even now, exiting the tunnel, they could see stairways upward. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>More importantly, right as they exited, they could also see a stand with a mounted cloth flag reading 'MAPS'.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"They have a map stand right at the city..?" Iris murmured in surprise, Ka herself blinking rather owlishly as well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehh? That should make this easy then right? We can just get a map to wherever it is Alit staying right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well that's certainly true..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Maps are normally a luxury though-ka! We went over that when we showed you the one we got of the entire continent! So just what..." The ninja trailed off, quickly following while Yuuma headed for the map stand, already intent on asking about matters.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Neh, neh lady! How much is a map?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Charmed immediately, the barian maintaining the stand- a rotund, almost spherical tortoise whose very beaked face seemed sealed- peered over and down with their extending and segmented neck. Shining brilliantly of gold and even bronze, she held a permanent smile that did not in any way betray her true emotions. "Hohhh-hohhhh..." she chuckled, the sound drawn and wizened. "Aren't you a young one...I haven't seen a new one for a few years now..." Before Yuuma could demand more about the maps, she pulled out a simple scrolled cloth. "Here you are; these ones are free. They're of the city itself, so it's very important..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"F-F- Free -ka!?" The mosquito sputtered, unable to contain her alarm as the tortoise chuckled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you surprised..? It's very new...I'm happy to be part of it though, hohhh-hohhh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked between the trio- Iris herself still gaping at the matter- and eventually found herself asking something. "...What was the new thing that made making the maps easier then?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmmm?" Turning her head downward, the eternal smile seemed somehow wider. "Oh yes...well, as some imports from the Pinelands arrived, it seemed they found a way to burn details into cloth quite fast....much faster than I could keep up, hohhh-hohhh...but because of that, we can make simple maps like this..." As she said this, Yuuma unrolled the scroll- finding herself something like a 'booklet' of cloth, folded at points to show the city in layers. By 'opening' the accordion-layered pages away from the middle, they could see upper areas of the city itself- while the unused, empty flaps held details and information on each of the places. "See...?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wuhhhhhaaaaaahhh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Iris peered over, Ka soon followed, all three blinking over the map. "Oh wow," Iris muttered, tracing a finger over the cloth. "It's much simpler than the one we had of the continent..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course it is -ka, that one had to be sewn together; they could use all sorts of ridiculous embellishments. This though...it's straight to the point- ka! Tidy and small!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm, a fan of it are you?" Iris chuckled, the tortoise soon joining in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hohhh-hohhhhhh...I agree... It's much cleaner this way...nothing unnecessary about it..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kakakakaaa...should make more things this way -ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nehhh, are we going to actually use the map soon though..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was rare for Yuuma to be the one grumbling about them going off track, but the result was immediate. As the two barians stiffened and coughed, the map-stand barian chuckled more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...there's plenty to do and see, if you take your time to read it...oh...but if you do, I recommend going to my sister's restaurant..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah? Is the food really good?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is- Hohh-hohhhhh..!" the tortoise laughed, even while Ka hissed at Yuuma for slipping yet again. "While I don't think you should order too many of the larger things...you should be fine to have a drink of caffè, and some bread...just avoid anything with too much barite, and you'll be fine. It's better to grow up normally, at this stage of new life," she insisted, Yuuma merely glancing to the side a bit awkwardly. "Mmmnn...though, if I look at you now...are you already the age you should be..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"She's a child, if that's what you're asking -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is that so...ohhhh dear me..." she murmured, a bit of sadness coming into her eyes. It cleared quickly, and she nodded. "Then...perhaps not normal caffè," the tortoise decided. "Ask dear Maremana for 'bari-orzo' perhaps...or maybe, a 'poda-drink'. You might like that better. But, if you go and tell her that Emytrina sent you, she might give you a nice discount- and nothing makes reading maps easier, than a good drink..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hnnn, is the food here cheaper too or something -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Naturally, the response was a nod, shutting up the mosquito immediately. "Hohhh-hohhhhh...we have a lot more here after all...much of it doesn't have a lot of energy, but after all, it's nice to share a small meal...it brings new families together, and new friends..." As the three looked to each other, Emytrina smiled even wider, despite her beak never moving. "So, take those stairs up to the 9th level, and have a nice view over the city...enjoy a drink, and plan your time..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhh...that's way better than before..!" Yuuma exclaimed, the others snapping their heads toward her before she could say anything incriminating. "Thanks, lady!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hohhh-hohhhhh, even after I gave you my name..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahhhh, right, right, 'Emytrina'..!" she repeated, somehow managing to get it immediately.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Emytrina in turn, nodded her head. "You're welcome then..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes yes-ka, come on then, we may as well plan a few other things we need to do..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh?" As the ninja ushered the two off, heading for the stairs, Yuuma blinked. "Like what?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! I don't know about you-ka, but even if we got right to your friend-in-red, you might not go home right away; so if you need what you've been missing for the last week-ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris coughed. "...we need to find another bath-house, don't we?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohhhhhhh..." Ultimately, it had been just long enough that Yuuma didn't even complain about going home first instead. She simply nodded, laughing nervously as they stepped into the somewhat large staircase upward- the steps moving not in a spiral as expected, but instead a wide rectangle that occasionally exited out to a carved walkway where other dwellings and stands could be seen. "...Mnnhh...my hair does feel kinda stiff again..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! I'd be surprised if it hadn't by now," she snorted, continuing on upward. "Now then, this is 4... ...ka, this place is just huge..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It seems just as large as Jin was if I'm honest..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We weren't crawling up the walls in Jin -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, that was floor seven..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They got there eventually, but it passed the minds of at least two of them that it was a shame there couldn't be elevators in the city that had pulled off trains.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But then, with how the train had set off, perhaps it was better that way.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0049"><h2>49. Chapter 49</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>One of the most welcoming aspects of the ninth level as they came out onto it, was that much like the other floors, the stone had been polished to the point of shining. While the floors were duller, and more obviously walked upon constantly, the walls and even ceiling gleamed with reflection- in turn allowing the ever constant sunlight to come in and illuminate the building.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they came out into the ninth level, they almost immediately saw the 'cafe' that Emytrina had referred them to. It was a simple set up- taking up floorspace equivalent in width to the stairs they'd just come up from, a number of tables and chairs in simple dusty brown stone were set up. They overlooked the city itself, large windows cut out from the stone, and at the far end of the stretch could be seen what was undoubtedly the store-front proper.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What was far more interesting however, was the sounds they could hear. There were not many barians up at the tables at the moment- while a few passed them on their way to some place or another, it seemed right now wasn't quite the agreed upon time to settle in for a drink or a snack. Then again, even in a place where it was widely available, it would still likely be a minor luxury.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was some sort of music playing however, they all realized. And as two in particular realized, it was <em>modern</em> music. Somewhat fuzzy and distorted, playing through a speaker that hadn't quite been properly hooked up. Following the sound soon brought them to the far end of the cafe itself, where a large, towering barian of brassy hue rapped against the side of something they couldn't see in the corner by the window.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barian- more than likely Maremana- was among the most 'natural' looking Yuuma had seen so far. While most barians she'd seen tended to be insect-like, or reptilian, Maremana seemed to be in the form of a great ox. Her horns came up high, and from beneath her roman skirt could be seen a tail to match her hooved boot-legs. While she was of course not furred, many lines could be seen etched into patterns of stylized hair, even from behind- and it occurred to Yuuma that between that and the actual clothes and armor she had on, she couldn't tell what was part of the body and what wasn't. Certainly, plenty of barians seemed to wear nothing- but thus far there was a sharp increase in those that <em>were</em> garbed in some sort of cloth, even compared to the upper-class they'd glimpsed in the Gold cities.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maremana turned- mouth opening with mild surprise as the nose ring built into her very being swayed. Her face was just as decorated as the rest of her- etched with lines and carvings, many even darkened around the mouth and nose with red and black. It was as if she were permanently giving off fire, or smoke- or at least a stylized form of it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As it were, when she moved she revealed what had been behind her- and both Ka and Yuuma gasped.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A TV..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA-! FIRST TRAINS AND NOW THIS!? What the hell is next, holograms!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris hummed, tapping her chin. "I have no idea what you're both talking about, but I'll assume this is something from modern day for you then?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While the cow chuckled, Yuuma ultimately looked to Ka and stared. "Oh yeah, you said something earlier on the train too...I thought you were pretty old, but I guess not huh!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka sputtered, and perhaps to add fuel to the fires of amusement, Maremana came toward them with a bellowing laugh. "Trains like ours have only been in the living world for under a century, I've been told, so not very old at all if your companion recognized it from there! We've only had ours for a few months even- for the last 500- well," she hummed, tapping her ring, "Almost 600 really, but everyone rounds to that... For the last '500' some odd, it's been foot travel all the way! Did you take the train from a neighboring city then? We've been getting a lot more visitors as 'tourists' these days," she laughed conversationally, Yuuma grinning as Ka hissed. "It's been a nice change!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Like the <em>TELEVISION</em>?-ka?" the mosquito ground out, Yuuma still grinning at the other's frustration.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rather calmly moving around the cow to look up at it herself, Iris continued humming- unconsciously keeping to the beat of the song it was playing. It looked to be some sort of...entertainer, she thought, garbed largely in light grassy green that admittedly appealed greatly to her preferred aesthetic. She had a heart-shaped mask, and twin pigtails styled in similar shapes. And stranger still perhaps, Iris noted, was she seemed almost <em>human</em>...but perhaps that was her imagination. "I suppose this is an even more recent matter for the living? It makes me think of a crystal message, but this seems different from that..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohh, the TV? You know, we'd been wondering what to call these things when the Pinelands started bringing them over, but some of the younger lot knew them on sight...can't say I'm surprised you did!" she laughed more, poking at Yuuma's hood before the girl could even realize what was happening. "You're as fresh as anything aren't you?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AUH! That's not a bad thing though..!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! It's inconvenient is what it is -ka," the ninja huffed, quite enjoying the ability to lie with the truth. "She's not getting any bigger-ka, if you're curious by the way."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohh, you're that young? That's rare..." Maremana straightened, and for a moment seemed a little stuck on how to continue. In the end, she settled on the TV again. "Well, it's like I said- the Pinelands started importing these over the last few months with everything else. Runs on the latent energy in the air, which is pretty handy- it's taking a signal right from the Pinelands itself!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A live connection at all times? That seems like it would take more power..." Iris said with a frown.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The cow shook her head. "That's the thing- it's not live at all. I know because I saw this same feed earlier! Sounds a bit different of course, since I bumped into it with my horn earlier...but it's the same thing."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehh? Then that just means it's recorded doesn't it?" Yuuma asked, Ka merely shrugging.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Ridiculous if you ask me. Bad enough they've all re-invented the government system -ka, but there's plenty about the modern living world I can do without!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And so progress marches on whether you like it or not, neh?" Iris chuckled, ultimately taking hold of things before they got too distracted. "Well...are you Maremana perhaps?" she asked, the cow of course nodding. "Oh good. Your partner- wife?" she asked again, smiling behind her cowl when she caught how Maremana's ears rose happily at the term, "Emytrina sent us up here. She said you had some wonderful dishes to enjoy while we looked over her map~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hah! That's my Emy for you! She's right then! Though if you're as young as you look," she hummed, turning to Yuuma, "I'll probably need to avoid some things..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh yeah- she said to ask for 'bari-orzo'..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Bari-or..." Maremana snorted. "I think that one will depend on how much you like sweets! Bari-orzo is based on a drink from the living world- 'Caffè d'orzo', it would be called there. It was made from barley," she explained. "After my time, naturally...but a few compared it to the drink when they came here, and the name stuck! Dear Emy was one of them~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohhhhh..." Iris nodded, smiling. "I was wondering how you two came together..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Were you? Ahhhh, I guess relationships like that aren't really common here huh...everyone's decades apart half the time, gets weird..." Maremana beamed, cackling. "But lucky for us! If you do the math, we'd be closer to the same age!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Sure don't sound it-ka, but whatever works for you both then..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't worry Ka, I'm sure your friend in Jin won't mind the gap..~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KAK-!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Ka sputtered, Yuuma blinked, oblivious. "Heh? We didn't really talk to anyone in Jin though did we..? Just the gate guys..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris continued chuckling, and Maremana laughed even louder. "HAH!! Well. In any case, I'd been making stuff from colom milk for a while, calling it barian 'caffè'. It's good stuff you know? I missed it, so it was good to make something like it. But normally it's got a good bite of barite to it too. Not enough to get anyone molting, but enough to ruin your growth pattern if you're still in your first year...took me a bit, but I figured out how to take the energy bite out, and from there, well..." The cow shrugged. "People compared it to the 'caffeine free' barley drink!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maremana certainly loved to talk, they were realizing- unfortunately, Yuuma was plenty interested. "Hehhhh... ...ah, but you said it's not sweet huh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nope. Guessed why I asked real easy!" she laughed. "Don't you worry though, I've got something you'll like more- while we're at it, let's get the rest of your orders huh?" Maremana continued, looking over the three with a smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! I'll try some of that coffee myself I suppose -ka," came their guide's shrugging response, Yuuma slowly staring as she wondered just how the mosquito would avoid being spotted this time. The last time, she'd slipped off in the crowd of pirates to eat away from prying eyes...while she certainly seemed in fair spirits after (probably because of the energy boost), nothing seemed to have changed though either...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris pondered it for a moment, and ultimately nodded. "Well, as long as it doesn't add too much to the bill, I suppose I'll give it a shot..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ooooh, you too huh? Careful, I hear folks stuck in your boat don't get the tastebuds for things like caffè..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At that, Iris seemed to think it over again, before nodding. "I'll try it anyway. Better to try than assume right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hah! Exactly! Two caffès, and in your case, I'll get you a drink I make with night berries. You ever see those? They're about the size of a grapefruit," she gestured, moving toward her stand and heading behind the counter. "Dark as night, but shiny, like they're covered in stars-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh!! Yeah, I ate a bunch a while ago! They were great!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohhh, a whole bunch huh? Yeah, they'll grow anywhere last I heard, could probably get a plot growing in the Ashlands, or even the Highlands if you wanted..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The Ashlands was where I ate 'm!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"WH- Ashlands!? You three came that far?!" the cow choked, Iris and Ka both hiding small grimaces as they pulled out their cover.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We're...looking for a possible relative," Iris coughed, Ka simply rubbing her forehead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"While making sure this idiot doesn't do anything that'll get her killed -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maremana blinked, and blinked again, shaking her head after a moment. "Huhhhhh...that so..." Taking a moment to adjust- the topic of people, least of all genuine children, seeking out family was a painful one indeed- she soon redirected herself. "Well, I'll get you that juice then. And a little bit extra too for that matter- you'll like it, so sit tight! It's on the house," she winked, before adding a point to the other two. "And I better see you two planning a real good view of this city with what I've just heard too! There's lots to see, and it's probably one of the safest places you could be these days!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, naturally," Iris assured her, watching the barian dip back behind a curtain separating counter from 'kitchen'.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Yes yes, plenty to see... ...place is too damn big if you ask me -ka," she grumbled, still rubbing her forehead as they moved to take a table. "Let's just sort out where someone can get the things their <em>squishy</em> body needs," the mosquito muttered, Yuuma coughing and nodding as she was reminded of the need for a long bath and possible sleep.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ultimately, it wound up being one close to the window overlooking the massive city, angled in a way that allowed Iris and Yuuma in particular to see the TV. If anyone asked, it was totally not deliberate.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not at all.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0050"><h2>50. Chapter 50</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>With the map unfolded bit by bit, it became clear just how massive the city was. Even without a mouth, Ka's displeasure was difficult to miss. The city was practically a huge, multilayered maze. While the notes at each flap made it useful for such key spots as food stores and the like, it took a good full minute to find the eventual end goal-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Namely the palace of the Red Lord, located at the far end of the city at the opposite end of the horrible maze with an arena at its center.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehh...it's almost like looking at a 'cretan labyrinth'..." Yuuma muttered as soon as the pages were first opened, Ka and Iris both boggling in turn.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...A what?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Where the hell did that one come from -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked. "Eh? Oh, my dad showed me it ages ago- we've got a lot of old stuff in the attic, and one of them was this big coin, with a maze on it and-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Let's focus on getting where we need to go... ...hmm. The problem here is that we can see plenty of bath-houses but there's no way to know if they'll have what we need..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We just need a bath though don't we..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka rolled her eyes. "One that's private -ka. Unless you want to explain all the human bits in a public bath."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah..." Flushed red, Yuuma nodded somewhat numbly, looking back to the map. "Yeah..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If this city is as big as it is, we might be in for trouble getting to the palace...especially if it's anything like how the Gold Lord's was rumored to be."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mhn? What do you mean..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The elder two stared, before Iris sighed. "Right...we wouldn't have talked about that- mmmn...do you remember seeing a few pillars moving upward, in Jin?" As Yuuma nodded, she continued. "There's a rumor that at the top of those pillars is where the Golden Lord resides; somewhere so high up, so hidden, that the palace can't even cast a shadow."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And depending on how you look at it -ka, so that he can't even tell there's a city beneath him in the first place," Ka added, staring emptily at the map with some unknown thought on her mind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhh...so then what you're saying is that wherever Alit lives it could just be a mystery anyway?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris shook her head. "No- I don't think so in this case at least. They have the gates at least marked clearly on the map. Wherever it is that the Red Lord is <em>supposed</em> to be, we can access it..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Problem being it'll take us hours to get there if we're lucky -ka. We'll need to find a good spot for you to rest part-way."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Which of course is the other issue...since most don't really need to sleep more than occasionally, and if they do it's a bit of a medical thing neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma groaned, slumping at the table. "Seriously...?" Jolting upright again, she huffed. "Then in that case, who needs sleep! I'll kattobing right through to the end, the whole time..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, we can do that I guess..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Just take a power-nap at the bathhouse we find -ka, better off that way," she muttered, turning as Iris nudged her. It seemed that the drinks were now ready- Maremana was now coming over with a bronze tray, with some sort of odd bird on her horns. The creature was the size of a large owl- with a near flat mask over its face to match. What was odd however was the large vest covering the thing's front, little buttons visible at the 'shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma stared, and Iris simply smiled. "We'll have to talk more later, neh? Perhaps we can even ask her about it. I'm sure we can come up with something..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Putting it on me again are you? Well...I suppose I'll have to prove you right then-ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At least they'd have something to drink while waiting for the rest of the plan, Yuuma thought. It was about the last thought she got before she noticed the bird had left Maremana's horns.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh-! No, Luma -!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Oops.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0051"><h2>51. Chapter 51</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"EHHH-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was perhaps some support to the idea of getting a powernap once they found the bath-house. Yuuma had sort of spaced out once they realized the drinks were coming, to the point where she'd only blinked before the bird was swooping to the table to inspect her. "<em>HrrROOO</em>!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AaaaaAAh-" The bird clacked its feet across the table as Maremana quickly set the tray down, reaching awkwardly for the thing as it tried to nudge under Yuuma's chin like an odd cat. "H- Hi?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Luma, give her space! Hah, here I'd hoped seeing her would be a treat, but she's all over you right away..." While Yuuma slowly moved to start stroking the bird's back- something which elicited a sort of cooing sound she associated more with doves than anything- Maremana rubbed her head and moved back to distributing the drinks. "Well, all's well that's ending well right? That's Luma, source of the colom milk! And now here's your juice...and the drinks for you two..." She glanced at the map, beaming. "How's map planning? Lots to see right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Too much if you ask me, there's at least fifty different baths..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Yuuma looked prepared to comment, Iris merely smiled behind her cloak. It wasn't the most obvious pull for info, but given what the three had just been talking about, she could see through the mosquito easily.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maremana of course, did not. "You're looking for baths?! With a kid?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All three turned at that point. "Eh...? What do you mean with.."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Are bath-houses different in the Redlands?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Obviously, if that's the response- we're just looking for a private spot to relax-ka. Something in line with this one's habits in life; you telling me people here didn't have a soak to unwind?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The cow blushed, face practically on fire in its appearance. "Mmnnnn...Well, normally when you ask about a bath-house..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka!! What kind of people do you think we are then, -ka!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well there's a reason I wasn't sure isn't there!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't suppose the reputation stayed away from the word 'spa'..? In the Goldlands, private places for relaxing were a lot more common. I'm surprised that the idea here is more...hmm."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Iris posed the question, Yuuma looked over the colom-bird to blink. "...I don't even get what you guys are talking about..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnn, put it this way Yuuma, it's more of an adult's business here from what I can see..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Which makes the number of them ridiculous if you ask me-ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maremana simply scratched her head, sighing with a bit of a huff. "It's been so long since I even heard someone talk about things that way...not that private baths in the house were never a thing, but a bath-house where you'd bring kids..? The closest thing you're getting to that, is going to be the springs- if you want privacy, you'll have to figure out a way to do that yourself though. Didn't expect you for the shy type though kid!" she laughed, Yuuma awkwardly patting the colom bird as she laughed more quietly along.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We'll figure something out. Where would the springs be though?" Iris asked, Ka discretely taking advantage of the distractions to sip at her drink in thought.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A hoof-finger poked over the map, Maremana humming. "Hmmmm...for the springs with the best chance of keeping things close...you'll want this one. They're all used to speed up healing see? Lots of fights going on at the arena, which means lots of people getting scuffed up!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh yeah! Ghihale mentioned the arena here- he said there was even a big tree thing in it!" Yuuma cheered, quickly snapping onto the chance for a subject change.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Iris made note of the spot on the map, Maremana beamed. "Ghihale! That's a strong one if I ever saw...I don't get to watch from the stands much, but he's one of the best. Doesn't stand a <em>chance</em> next to 'Il Bolide' of course..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eel bow-lead...?" Iris choked on her drink as Yuuma stared, a roaring laugh escaping from their host immediately.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"N..No! 'Il Bolide'! The Fireball! No one's actually seen his proper face- fights in a cloak, the madman!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhhh seriously..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yep. You'd have to ask the folks down at the arena about that though- I've never seen much of him myself, and best I can tell he keeps to himself too. Met him<em> once</em>," she explained with a wink, beaming. "Offered him a drink, and I think I near broke his brain! Took it, stopped, and then sputtered something about how he couldn't actually drink it, hah!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That high-power and he forgets he doesn’t have a mouth? Pathetic-ka," Ka snorted, amused all the same.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, I'm distracting, what can I say! I'm sure there's more to it, but you three have some sights to plan to see right? So I'll let you enjoy your drinks, and enjoy Luma here..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right!" Yuuma cheered, the other two simply nodding. Soon after that, she looked back to Ka's drink only to frown. "...AHHH!! You already finished..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA! And you'll never know how! KAKAKAKAKAA!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Really, this is just getting mean at this point," Iris chuckled, peering over the map again. "But we have a start now I guess..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maaaaaaann, this is probably the last chance I get too..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! A shame you can't 'kattobing' your way through this one isn't it-ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So mean..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes yes, let's focus on getting ourselves some checkpoints, neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was truly a miracle, between the bird, the playful bickering, and the drinks, that they got anything resembling a plan done at all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Particularly when Maremana returned with something wrapped in clear sheet a few minutes later, calling her bird back after all the chaos it had caused. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0052"><h2>52. Chapter 52</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Whatever was covering the stick in Maremana's hand, it turned out to be astoundingly similar in appearance to some of the darker crystals Yuuma had occasionally seen while passing places in Jin- or even the crystal that Azul had nearly pressed against her arm before Ka stopped him. Yuuma stared at it with wide eyes, and it took a moment before she even realized it was being held to her. "Eh? It's for me?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka in particular seemed curious- peering at it from over the table and tapping under her chin. "Looks almost like barite-ka...but it definitely isn't. Not a lick of energy to it at all."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's because it's 'faux-barite'," Maremana bragged, beaming  as she held it out. "Here- we'll trade. Luma~!" Tapping her horn, the bird quickly jumped up to the table and then to the horn with awkward flapping, narrowly keeping from making a mess of everything in the process. As Yuuma took the stick, she continued on. "It's made by hornets- real hornets, rock-borers," the cow explained, Yuuma already bringing it to her mouth. "Good bait right? Crawl up to get what you figure is pure barite, find out the energy you tracked was a big old bug the size of your head! Turns out though, the stuff they use for bait is also pretty sweet~ Great for anyone with a tongue to match the sweet tooth right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a muffled gasp, Yuuma taking out the makeshift lolipop with a grin. "Ushhhhhaaaa..! She's right..! It's good! Iris, Iris," she continued, beaming, "You should try some..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmhmhmm...don't worry, I'm alright... You just enjoy yours, neh Yuuma?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahh, right..." The girl did just that, and after a few moments looked at the cow- who was preparing to head back to her counter. "Mnh!! Before you go though...how come Luma's got a shirt? I've never seen a bird wearing a shirt..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hnn? Luma? Oh..." Maremana grinned, waving a hand. "Silly story really- you know where milk in the living world comes from? Same deal for Luma! Apparently a lot of newer sorts get weird about that though- fine for a cow or a goat they say, there's legs in the way, but a bird's too much!" she continued, Yuuma looking quite lost and confused. The other two merely closed their eyes, piecing it together rather quick. "Anyway, so she's got a vest these days. Not like it's not in fashion I suppose- loads of barians wearing clothes as of late!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That another 'Pine' thing -ka?" Ka asked, frowning as Maremana laughed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hah! Got it in one!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! I'm beginning to wonder what kind of place these Pinelands are..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I suppose we'll be finding out once Yuuma's settled," Iris hummed, arms crossed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohh? Taking a round trip are you two?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We decided we may as well," Iris claimed in their defense, smiling behind her cowl. "We've come this far, neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Good thinking! Pinelands is a little busier these days, but they're good folks at least. Plenty of traffic on the roads too, so you won't be without help. Better than the tunnels anyway, those are just spooky..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Handle that stuff when we're done here, -ka. I'll keep your advice in mind on those springs too," she added, Maremana nodding.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Glad to hear it! You three just come to the counter if you need refills or food huh? I probably won't get many more customers for a bit more..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With that, after a trio of nods, the cow went back to her stand- Yuuma still working away at her 'faux-barite' stick. "Mnhh... I wonder how everyone keeps track of what day it is here, if the sun's always out..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mmnnh...mostly it's a matter of internal clocks," Iris admitted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You probably can't tell because you're human -ka, but we have a fairly ingrained sense of things. Not down to the minute -ka, but..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's accurate enough. Now then...this would be easier if we had some kind of charcoal with us, but we'll have to make do with memory. The springs are over here..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Planning didn't take much longer, but by the time they had it, they could at least tell themselves they were covered for any possible issues that might come their way. It was just in time perhaps as well- as more and more customers began filing away, so too did the sugary treat on a stick disappear until there was nothing more than a dull brassy 'twig' left behind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Looks like you're all done then-ka. Good." Ka stood, and glancing out the window, began to roll up the map. "Let's get going then -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma nodded, and as she got off her chair found herself shaking her head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Somehow, she wished they had the false cheer rather than whatever sense of curt finality she was getting from the other now.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0053"><h2>53. Chapter 53</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>While Ka had seemed abrupt as they left, they soon found themselves collectively relaxing into usual patterns as they left the wall of the city. Ka, naturally, started with the map and wound up passing it to Iris after a few short moments down the first main road- the ninja was far more at home using her own innate sense of the surroundings to move, and according to her had a good sense of the map anyway. The 'kids' could consult it if they so desired.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The plan was relatively simple for now. As they had no idea whether or not they'd be able to immediately access the domain that Alit supposedly called his home, they would take a pit-stop by the arena at the center of the city once finished at the springs- located not too far away from the arena's bustling outer markets, and seemingly built into the tiny 'mountains' which flanked the inner circle. Looking now Yuuma noted, some of the walls of the city's inner buildings stretched upward, akin to support pillars- they moved until they hit the city's outermost walls themselves, with the only true hole in the greater hollow mountain being where the massive vine-like tree in the center moved to grow out. Even from below, if she looked upward she could see the massive flowers growing off from it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed to her that despite the distant association with a lotus, that it was more akin to some sort of lily- or at least that was how the shape of the flowers, no doubt massive, looked from afar. As it was, she could not help but notice the number of barians walking by in clothing. While none of them paid any mind to Ka, it was enough that she almost felt odd herself- only one in every three or so barians passing were wearing what was clearly part of their actual bodies. Everyone else had some sort of shawl, skirt, tunic, or toga type garment, or even a set of roman-styled armor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mannnn...I wish the people in the 'gold lands' had been more like this," she lamented aloud as they walked, taking yet another set of stairs as they passed a fountain. That was yet another thing notable about the city thus far- everything, from the walls, to the pillars supporting them, to the buildings themselves, seemed somehow artful in design. Carved into, with regulated pillars and impressive archways, decorations painted directly into the stone. More and more, she could see people working on some sort of craft in the streets- some using paints, applied carefully with wire-brush. Others sculpting forms from clay, or even carving gem into something else.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a city <em>filled</em> with art, and Yuuma found herself having trouble looking away even as Iris pulled her onward with her held hand. "Like what?" Iris questioned as Yuuma lamented matters, glancing back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh. I just thought, if they'd been more dressed up like this, we could have gotten me something back there after all..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka laughed immediately. "Ka! Nothing wrong with what you have now -ka. Besides, it'd be pointless at this point...who knows what's going on in this place-ka, but if you ask me it's just a trend that'll disappear in another year or so. Probably some new rich upstart digging their heels in-ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Do people really have that much control over stuff here?" Yuuma asked, receiving a snort in reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! It's how it was in the world of the living wasn't it? One trend-setter gets going, and the rest follow -ka. I'll admit I jumped into a few bandwagons back then too. Ultimately, nothing is original, kakakakaka...even the 'original' stuff comes from somewhere..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahaaa...how pessimistic..." Iris laughed, Ka scoffing in reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! And do you have a better look at it then?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnn. I can't really say I do unfortunately, I don't have any more experience than you do, neh..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Exactly -ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mouuuu, she's right though, it's so gloomy...if you're saying that everyone gets their ideas from what's around them then sure, but the way you say it it just sounds like no one ever has good ideas..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is that wrong too then -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AUUHH! Of course it is..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kakakakakaaa...!" The mosquito laughed, and laughed some more, before Iris sighed and cleared her throat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, I think we're here now- I can see why Maremana recommended this place already..." Iris added, reading the small stiffened tapestry sign mounted outside the door. The door could barely be called as much- it was more an entry to a cave, an entrance to a large section of stone that had not been excavated from the mountain itself during the city's formation- pillars visibly rose up from its form, the bottom carved into the patterns of greco-roman pillars they'd seen in all the architecture, but otherwise left untouched by barian hands. It was all natural, rusty red stone, the occasional line of white quartz lined through it. "Oh, and there's steam..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris was right- at certain points in the wall the hole entered to, steam could be seen coming out. Ka frowned, but nonetheless nodded. "Going to be hot -ka. You better let us know if it gets too hot then, got that Yuuma? We can take more than you can-ka, and we're not here to boil you alive."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hiih! Got it..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm pretty sure it's not<em> that</em> hot," Iris huffed, stepping inside. Unlike the majority of the city, the inside of the 'springs wall' was as natural as it got. A series of rough, natural steps going slighty downward and all through the wall, warm steam wafting through the air. "...Though it is going to be a bit uncomfortable..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It seems kinda nice to me..." Already grinning a bit, Yuuma reached for her hood only for Ka to cough. "Ahh- we have to find a deeper one huh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Damn right -ka..! What happens if anyone else comes in here?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Grumbling a bit, Yuuma listened, even if grudgingly. It didn't take too long before they hit an odd turn in the wall however- a spire of rock separating the next pool from almost everything forced them to take a sharp bend in the path, at which point they stopped.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm. If we hang the cloak up here while you're bathing, it should be private enough... ...what do you think Ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Iris asked her question, Ka was already inspecting the area. It wasn't quite a dead end, but it was certainly an alcove of its own. Dipping a hand in the water, she soon nodded. "Should be good -ka. Alright; we'll stay out near the front. Don't take too long though, got it -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right!" Taking long wasn't really on her list of things to do as it was, Yuuma thought as she started tossing her things to the side. While she'd said it seemed nice, it was quickly getting a bit too warm in here. Dipping her toe in the water she even had to flinch, giving a yelp. "TFF- Hot..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Well obviously!" Ka snapped, turning. "It's a hot spr-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The mosquito cut herself short, immediately coming over. "Huh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Y...You- Look at me for a minute- hold still-ka!" she choked, eyes wide as she looked over the girl's head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hold- O-Oii, what is it..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What on earth are you doing Ka?" Iris sighed, coming over herself. "The sooner we're out of here, the sooner we... ...Oh." Where Ka could only look, Iris was quickly coming right up to Yuuma and poking at her ear. "Oh dear."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oiii!! Don't just say stuff like that..!" Yuuma protested, covering the ear in question. "What's going on?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Your ears are <em>pointed</em> is what -ka..! Since when did that even happen!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh? They're pointed?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This could have been at any point in the last week Ka...we haven't exactly taken that hood down..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka!! And that makes this any better!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm. I wonder if it's because of how long you've been here...it's a good thing we're in Cor Ignis now," Iris muttered, Yuuma scooting back to try and enter the spring while they were talking. "...Pointed ears are a pretty barian trait...and those are definitely points, not just a slight  thing..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka twitched, and twitched visibly- her fingers cracked, and her wings shook at her back in agitation, the mosquito visibly trying to regain her composure. "Kak- Kaaaaaaaaaaa... As long as it's only the ears...Ka! Who wants to bet this is what those little folk tales about staying here if you eat a thing means -ka. It'd be one thing to just skip home entirely human -ka, but if you're taking on barian traits, well!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O-Oii, you're saying I won't be able to-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahhhh- no, not quite Yuuma..!" Iris scowled at Ka for a moment, before looking back to Yuuma. "More that it's lucky we're here in time...I mean...you're certainly still flesh and blood aren't you? You were bleeding just a few days ago. Not to mention," she added dryly, "Your last 'break'..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked, and then blushed, looking to the side as Ka continued in Iris' stead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you want to bet that if you'd been stuck for a year, you'd be stuck for good though. Ka! Good thing we've made this kind of progress, isn't it ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AaaAAAAH! If you hadn't done what you did, I wouldn't be here to begin with you know..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Well we're here now -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma pouted- but to the mosquito's surprise, grinned. "Heheee...you're right though, we are..! Pretty soon, I can go home, and it'll be like I was never here at all...except I'll have plenty of stuff and plenty of stories, so that's not true! I'll be able to tell everyone about how cool it was, and how cool everyone else is..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"K...ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...You thought everything was cool..?" Iris asked, blinking slowly. A smile came to her face, and she sat down. "...Well. I wish I could see how your friends react to stories about us...it's a shame, but I guess we'll all have to know each other through you, neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka..! What a waste of conversation, to talk about our lot to living people -ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehh?? It's not a waste..! I mean it! Even you- even with what you did, you've been pretty cool since then too, like on the ship..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"K-KAK-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And I'm not taking it back either..! You're gonna be known as the cool mosquito- the cool 'Ka Ninja' to anyone I know, even Astral..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka sputtered and stammered more, looking very much at a loss for words.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed to them that she really was in fact- as she turned, huffing and storming off. "Ka! I'm keeping watch- you idiots can enjoy yourselves on your own -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AH- O-Oii! What's wrong with being cool..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka, it's not really... ...oh dear," Iris sighed, frowning. She looked back to Yuuma- the girl now crossing her arms over the edge of the spring and staring sadly to the stone. "...Yuuma. It's not..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I know she doesn't hate us," Yuuma said quietly, prompting a look of surprise. "...She definitely doesn't..! She doesn't act like she does at all, even when she's pretending! ...I just..." She closed her eyes just slightly, sinking a bit into the water. "...If we're not going to see each other after today, or even tomorrow..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris stared at Yuuma in the relative darkness of the springs cave, the only light in the chamber coming from the gentle glow from veins within the rock. She could not think of much to say, if anything at all, and eventually she simply reached out and carefully set her hand on Yuuma's arm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...We'll make it count," she said quietly, and to this, Yuuma simply nodded and sat in the water in silence.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0054"><h2>54. Chapter 54</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When they left the springs, not a one of them really spoke to the other for a bit. They walked silently- awkwardly, water still dripping slightly from under the cloak as everything dried from the natural heat of the air whilst Iris and Ka simply walked onward with the girl. It was an unsettling- and indeed unfortunate- change in mood, and one that had Yuuma feeling ill indeed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nehhh, Ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What? We're coming nearer to the center plaza now -ka. Don't tell me you need to find some small corner of the place for other business."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"MNH-" Either Ka had completely put the tension from mind, or she was doing quite well to ignore it- regardless, her words had the success of shutting Yuuma up for a solid second. "Th- That's not it at all! I'm fine, trust me!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kakakakaaa! Good! The last thing we need to do is figure out how to dig a hole in this city..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why would you even assume it was that one!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnnh...this is definitely not what I thought we'd end up talking about..." Iris lamented quietly, face in her hands. "Ahm...Ka, you said we're coming to the plaza?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The laughter stopped, humor fading from the teasing moment Ka was having with their charge. "Ka? Yep, just up and around this corner. It's what that stupid massive arena sits in- with an even bigger walkway all around it -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And we have to pass that to get through..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right. That is true, but I get the feeling we can take advantage of this..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Heh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Yuuma blinked, Ka hummed approvingly. "Kakakaaaa...figured it out too did you? Right, listen up Yuuma- you heard what that coffee seller was talking about before, didn't you? No fights in the arena lately. Who knows why- probably has to do with your friend in red handling things elsewhere," she muttered, lowering her voice as a few other barians walked past.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"In other words," Iris continued quietly, "The arena probably won't have a lot of people visiting it...and more than that, look up."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma did just that- as they stood in the road just outside the plaza, she could already see the massive 'tree'-vine holding the flowers and arenas. It seemed to climb forever- so much that Yuuma's hood threatened to fall off and back as she craned her neck upward. This close, it was easier to see how battles could be held on the flowers themselves- that was how Ghihale had put it right?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How do they even see the fights up there without cameras..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! If they have TVs they might just have those now..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But that aside, they probably just use projecting crystals," Iris explained more helpfully. "And they definitely only use them during actual fights."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Chances are -ka, they don't have a reason to keep them watched any other time."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And, for most barians, getting up there is pretty tricky...or at least hard to miss," Iris added with a smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took a few moments, but Yuuma managed to figure out what they were saying. "...So we're gonna climb it..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A nod from Iris, and a laugh from Ka. "Ka! Exactly! It'll be tricky...but I've got the perfect little trick to keep you hidden until we're high enough to hit one of the arenas. After that-ka, you'll be able to sleep entirely undisturbed!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Cool....!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahhh, but keep it down," Iris reminded the girl, laughing quietly. "We still have to get in first..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka nodded. "Right. Luckily -ka, it won't be too weird if we spend a few hours 'touring' in there...but make sure to follow my lead, got it-ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Good. Now..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They turned the corner, and the plaza opened before them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Naturally, it took about a minute more than that before 'following the lead' was made difficult.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0055"><h2>55. Chapter 55</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The plaza surrounding the arena was, as Ka had complained, absolutely massive. There were small fountains separated equally, carved of simple stone but each depicting creatures of the likely barian seas, 'gods' of foreign myth and folklore, and still more. Local barians milled about with their goods, and to top it off there were even entertainers in the streets- Yuuma found herself briefly distracted by one in particular, who seemed to be some sort of cricket. The barian's wings moved back and forth across the other, a chirping, humming sound coming from them. To accompany it however, the barian also held in his hands a lyre, his own voice joining in for the full tune and tale.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was only a brief distraction however, as Yuuma quickly found herself cut off from the others by a small group of heavily cloaked barians. They weren't dressed at all unlike herself and Iris really- the primary difference perhaps was the faintly painted 'eye' on the hoods, which shadowed their faces completely. It was impossible to tell what they looked like.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were as unidentifiable as she and Iris were attempting to be now, perhaps even more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The ones in cloaks turned, one of them muttering. "Another?" asked the one, the second shaking their head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No- they lack the eye."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"They lack the <em>sight</em>," hummed the third, their voices practically leaving Yuuma dizzy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oiii...the wha-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There's potential however," the third continued, adjusting their hands within their folded sleeves. "It radiates off them." Yuuma blinked, and found the haze of it all growing worse, voices blending and vision growing fuzzy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A beacon, or a flame," the second confirmed, the first of the three humming in contemplation. It was a genuinely strange experience now- as if the world itself was melting away, or even reality, or...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Then perhaps they<em> can</em> be another," they decided. "Little one...have you heard of the Rose Eye?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma found herself staring at the hoods, unable to look away. Her words practically slurred, and even so she managed to make herself ask- "The what..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was then that Ka re-appeared, stepping between them as Iris pulled Yuuma away. "We're not interested -ka!" she hissed, Yuuma blinking dazedly as Iris continued to pull.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The three in cloaks seemed disappointed, but otherwise unaffected. "Can the young not speak for themselves now..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Indeed...you hold potential too it seems- much of it even..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Perhaps, once upon a time..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka bristled, more on edge than even before. "I said we're not interested -ka! So go on, leave us be!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Curious," the trio hummed, looking Ka over.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But very well..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The Eye does remember though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka!" The mosquito spat, storming back toward where Iris had drawn Yuuma over toward one of the many arena gates. "Stupid cults... Never even seen them and they're so textbook it stings -ka..." She quieted as she came to the others however, frowning at the sight. The guard at the gate had taken interest in the pair apparently, the oddly smooth seeming figure with draping whiskers and large round eyes currently stooped beside them with concern.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With what she overheard, she couldn't help but feel a pang of it herself. "...rrible folks that 'Red Eye' bunch," the barian was sighing. "They'll lock you under hypnosis in an instant. Surprised your friend got even a single word in edgewise, with how young she is..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"She won't have to see anyone for this right?" Iris was asking, Yuuma still holding her head under the hood.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mmmm. She shouldn't, but a lie-down might do her some good. Looks to me like she's recently dropped enough that it'll be a habit she remembers at least..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma seemed only barely aware that she was being talked about, mumbling a bit as they spoke. "Mnhhh...'re we talking about the hood guys..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Iris bit her lip, Ka came up to the group at last, frowning. "...You were saying she should <em>sleep</em>-ka?" she asked, eyeing the catfish curiously.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A strange suggestion, I know," the guard laughed quietly, "But it's the best one I've got. Most people either resist the pull, or get sucked right in-  the few I've seen caught between like she's been, tend to need a nap in a hammock. Your partner here though, she says you're tourists?" Ka nodded, and the guard hummed thoughtfully. "Hmmm...in that case, I'll let you use a spot we have in the walls here. The arena hasn't been very busy as of late- not since the reigning champion called for a break anyway, but if you want to know about that I can explain that later..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The reigning champion was 'Il Bolide' right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mmmhn. Not surprised you recognize the name..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hm. You're right, that's definitely a later thing- Yuuma would probably want to know more herself-ka," the ninja hummed, quietly making sure to remember to ask about it herself. If she was right, the matter was probably tied up in the barian lord himself after all- they'd want to get as much info as they could.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For now though... "Ohhh, I'd be happy to share! Especially if the kid has interest in things like that- for now though," he continued, leading them inside, "Follow me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The halls were simple- just as simple as the ones of the outer wall in fact, if not perhaps more. Where they were going however was a small alcove and stairway going down, into a somewhat darker hall lit simply with floating fire-crystals. Before long, they were at a small room with a cot already set up, the catfish nodding. "This is one of the rooms the competitors tend to make use of between bouts; a quick nap does wonders for recovery, and in the end, we can't have a crystal for everyone, so those are for the serious injuries. And no one's going to be going right back to the fray if they're using a crystal..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Come on Yuuma- you'll feel better after you rest, okay?" Iris was saying, Yuuma still blinking confusedly at most of what was around.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Did those guys do something weird..?" she was muttering, still rubbing her head. "It felt like..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Don't think about those stupid cloaks -ka, they were just trying to sneak you off. Get some rest and think about what you actually came to the city for instead, got it -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked again, and slowly looked back toward Ka. "...What I came..." A pause, and she jumped. "Right! We were supposed to go to the arena, and...and then-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And you're already here..!" Iris interrupted with a nervous laugh, the catfish guard blinking confusedly himself. "...Just trust us Yuuma- you'll feel better in a bit. Okay?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Y...yeah..." Laying onto the cot, the girl automatically found herself getting onto her side, staring toward the doorway and the others there. "...mnh...thanks Ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris blinked, turning back to the mosquito at the doorway. Ka in turn huffed, shaking her head. "Don't thank me for doing things I'm obligated to do-ka..! Obviously I was going to get between you and them!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The catfish stared- more confused than ever- and Yuuma merely smiled. Closing her eyes, rolling over, and letting herself fall into sleep as she felt the numb headache left by the 'red eye' begin to fade.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0056"><h2>56. Chapter 56</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>While Yuuma slept, the barians settled into an odd form of tension at the side of the cot. What had happened was unexpected- perhaps even unprecedented, in a number of ways. Between the risk of getting caught in the arena being swapped out for the now over and passed risk of whatever the ones in red cloaks had been...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka's arms were crossed, and lost in thought, Iris was the one to speak first.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sir Guard," she began, the catfish guard in question choking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Th- That's a little too stiff isn't it..? I'm hardly anyone important, just basic security...if anyone would be 'Sir' it'd be the battlers of the arena," he coughed. "Use my name- 'Pteru' will do just fine."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah- got it," Iris replied. "Pteru. ...You told me when I brought Yuuma over that those were a cult of some sort but... ...just what kind of cult has that level of power to begin with?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a question Ka was wondering as well. The only reason she was still silent was because of a nagging feeling in the back of her mind. The three had looked at her, and while she felt no tug from their power, they had claimed to <em>know</em> her somehow. That she was 'remembered'.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was an unnerving feeling, and one that still had her itching to do anything she could to run.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In the meantime, Pteru was quite happy- for lack of better words anyway- to explain. "The 'Cult of the Red Eye'- it's what we call them anyway, I don't think they'd call themselves a cult," he sighed, shaking his head. "Might have the colour wrong too, but they wear enough Red so… Came from pretty near nowhere not long ago- little more than two months I'd say, but with how they appeared who knows. It was a bit of time after the arena fights were postponed at the very least," Pteru explained.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That short -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He nodded. "They don't seem to have too many to their name, but they're a risk all the same. Not that they've done anything, but the way they draw others into their sway...it's concerning," the catfish said with a shudder, "And anyone we've pulled from it has always felt drained, needing some rest...we think they target barians with high energy levels," Pteru went on. "It's the closest thing to a trend we've found- they haven't been going after too many of the upper class sorts, but just about every time one of the more aristocratic folk come down into the plazas, we end up having to pull them away from their sway. They're always grateful, of course, but one of these days someone isn't going to be there in time I fear..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And you don't know what they do other than add to their numbers?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At Iris' question, he nodded. "...Mnh. Though to me it seems as if that in itself is an issue- you," he asked, looking toward Ka. "You saw them up close didn't you? What do you remember?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! What kind of question is that?" Ka snorted. "They were head to toe dressed in cloaks -ka, and the same height, so it isn't as if-" She stopped herself, narrowing her eyes immediately. "...the same height-ka... ...You ask that, and now that I think of it, there was plenty similar between all three -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pteru nodded once again, as Iris also began to put it together. "...They sounded and looked exactly the same? All three?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Less that, and more it had that effect -ka. It was as if they all blurred over the other..." she muttered, tapping her chin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And now you see why it's worrying," the catfish confirmed. "They're more like a hivemind it feels like- and we're a varied enough sort that the physical aspects, or at least what we're seeing are..." He trailed off. "...Well, putting all of that aside, it's a good thing that this little one was pulled away. It's rare enough that we see children after all. Real children, for that matter- oh, no offense to you miss," he coughed, Iris smiling oddly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If 'Sir Guard' is too stiff, I'll take Iris myself~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! Noted!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Sentimental are you?" Ka huffed, though the sound was halfhearted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a tone that Pteru picked up on, chuckling in turn. "Hey now- you can't blame us after all. It's like I said- people who fall into Barian that early in their lives are rare enough. It's rarer still that you meet them while they're still younger than what you'd call an adult, in mind...for that matter, I saw her just before those damned drapes swooped over on the kid. It was clear what kind of person you were keeping with you," he said softly. "She was looking at everything as if it was magical...as if there wasn't a thing wrong in the world at all... ...That kind of heart...it doesn't stay untainted very long in this place, even if you spend all of it in Cor Ignis."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even if...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment the two were quiet. Eventually Iris just nodded, while Ka resumed her silent vigil. "...I noticed that," she said softly. "The city here...it doesn't feel like there's 'layers' in the way there are in the cities of the gold lands. This one... ...it really is what you see, isn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pteru smiled to that- but before he could speak, another barian came up from behind to gently tap his shoulder. The barian- largely covered in plates of 'metal' carapace not unlike Ka, with impressively curled antennae drooping to frame their face like feathered bangs- gestured behind them. "Boss has been notified about the guests, asked me to tell you they're free to stay unsupervised. I'm going to bring down some water for the kid later, but you should probably get back to your post. Empty or no, if those guys are still on the prowl right now..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He swallowed, nodding. "Right. It's hard enough even <em>with</em> people aware of their business tricks," the catfish muttered, looking to the others. While his partner headed off, he gave them both careful looks. "I don't expect that you'd be wandering away from here, but just so I can say I warned you, try not to alright? A lot of the regulars have more or less claimed some of these rooms as their own, and it's hardly an honorable thing to snoop into that kind of thing."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka gave a short nod- not that she'd had any interest, as he'd said- and Iris did the same. "Don't worry," she answered. "We don't plan on leaving the room. Tell your friend 'thanks' for the water as well, neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The catfish simply smiled at that, soon leaving the room. When they were sure it was just them, Iris' smile fell. It had hardly been something anyone could see, but the habit of hiding at least that was a strong one. Without anyone to hide from, her mood quickly became evident. "The 'Red Eye'..." She frowned, looking back to Ka. "...The timing he gave is a bit before Yuuma fell here isn't it? ....before<em> you</em>-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohhh, is that it -ka?" The mosquito's voice was low, mood darkening by the minute. "The timing is right-ka, so I should know something..?" Even as she spoke, she could see the throne Vector had sat upon in her mind. Massive, and a prison in itself it certainly seemed, the Ash Lord hedged within armor and bound to the spot. She could see the massive eye upon the front, and she told herself it wasn't 'red' at all. Pink, fuschia more like, closer to what she'd call purple more than anything. She told herself that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But what they had said... "...Are you saying you don't then?" Iris asked- but before Ka could even answer, her own silence damned her far enough. "...Or maybe what you're saying is you don't want to know. Hmm. Fair enough," she hummed, leaning back where she sat upon a bench. "But be careful how much you keep to yourself, neh..?" Those sorts of things always come back to bite you..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! And what are you saying then! I've come plenty far enough haven't I -ka!? I got us here!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You did. Which is why I don't think you're holding anything back to cause trouble," Iris replied calmly. "...but I've seen what keeping things quiet can do. ...So trust me- be careful."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The words hung on the air like a guillotine blade, primed, sharpened, and ready. Waiting for the line to be dropped, for the cut to be made.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But the line never fell, and the blade simply hung, tense and shining, the two barians falling into silence for the next number of hours.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If Yuuma had heard even a word while she slept, or if the beetle-formed barian coming with water had caught the last bits of conversation echoing through the hall, there was no way to know. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not a one of them indicated as much, and after all, only fools would dare to ask to be certain.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0057"><h2>57. Chapter 57</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Yuuma woke up, the catfish guard had only recently returned- in the middle of conversation to check in upon them, he had spotted her stirring, and in a swift moment beamed at the sight. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aha," Pteru whispered. "Looks like she's already coming to..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnhhh...hwwwaaaaaaaaaahhhh..." Yuuma let out a long yawn as she stretched, slowly sitting up to rub at her eyes beneath the hood. "Uuushhhhhaa...that was a good sleep..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahahaaa!" Suspecting nothing of course, the catfish beamed. "We barely need it, but it always feels nice when you wake up after those few times," he assured the girl, nodding. "How do you feel? My partner brought some water down for when you awoke- it should help bring your energy back up..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka perked up, eyeing the pitcher- which seemed to have been formed from one single tube of glass molded 'just so'- and glanced to Pteru. "It's not got any barite in it I would hope -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hah! We might not see children often but we're not fools- it's completely free of it, it'll just have what's needed to get her properly conscious, trust me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Good good," Iris hummed idly, focused on Yuuma herself. "Neh, Yuuma- how are you doing? Do you remember what happened?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma for her part yawned again, giving one last stretch before turning her attention to the others. "Eh? ...Oh, uh...there were those weird guys in cloaks right..? And then they did something that made me feel dizzy..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"They tried to kidnap you -ka, let's not dress it up."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HEH!? S-Seriously..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, it isn't as if you knew any better..." Iris muttered dryly, frowning in Ka's direction. "At the very least, whatever power they have didn't make it easy...anyway, we brought you in here to get some sleep; most people caught up in their mess needed it after getting pulled out, neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"R...Right..." Yuuma managed to keep herself from saying something about needing sleep anyway, and instead nodding. "But then....where is this place..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahaha...I'm not surprised you don't remember that bit," Pteru chuckled, coming a little bit closer. "Hello little lady- guard of the great Cor Ignis arena, Pteru here, at your service- and you," he continued with a friendly smile, "Are in one of the competitor's resting chambers."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took only half a second for Yuuma to react, perhaps just as Pteru had predicted. "Compe...OH!! Really? I'm in one of their rooms..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! It's not like it had anyone's name on it!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nonetheless Iris chuckled, Pteru humoring the girl even more. "That's right..! Of course, as your friend noted, it's not one that's used very often...the regular competitors, they pretty much have rooms of their own, but this one was for quick recovery to whoever needed it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh...so it's not that Bold guy's room or something..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pteru choked immediately- the other two, in their own ways, responded with amusement. While quiet 'ka' chuckles and a hidden smile were Pteru's answer, the catfish managed to focus entirely on Yuuma. "B-Bolide! It's 'Il Bolide', the Fireball..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh. Yeah that! He's supposed to be the best one right?" Yuuma added, crossing her arms. "That's what Maremana said..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Unable to keep from growing amused and heartened himself, Pteru simply sighed and nodded, pouring some water into a glass to hand to the girl. She took it eagerly, and he himself sat upon the bench. "And that's correct- he's been champion for almost as long as the city has been here in fact! He's very old....some would even wager as old as the Red Lord himself," he added with a wink.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That caught their attention. Ka, with quiet interest- Iris with raised brows, a hum in her throat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma, of course, just blinked. "Eh? Is that rare..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The older of the trio immediately both grimaced, though the expressions were hidden. Fortunately, it was something Pteru simply attributed to the girl's youth. "Ohhhh very. There aren't a lot of us who are as old as that- the Barian Lords are as old as the cities themselves. We have stories of times before them, but they're practically legends- if it wasn't for the fact that they had to come from somewhere, we'd have even been able to say 'there was no Barian before the Lords'!" he chuckled, ignorant to Iris' darkening frown.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So it's like when people live over 100..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A warm laugh, and the catfish nodded. "Exactly! Even though no one gets old here after all, well..." His laughter faded, the smile with it. "...This world is very dangerous, after all. What happened to you is only scratching the surface, and even with as many people as there are who would want to keep people like you safe...there are plenty more monsters who would do the opposite, even here. Barians who make it without running into those dangers, for that long... ...it's rare indeed," he finished, Yuuma holding her glass of water quietly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...'Even for here'?" she half repeated, the catfish simply nodding.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Even here. Your friend, Iris..." Iris blinked as her name was mentioned, and Yuuma even turned toward her. "She mentioned the Gold Lands?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma nodded. "Ahh! Yeah! We got to see two cities there after leaving where Iris lived~!" she cheered, Ka closing her eyes and turning her head upward in exasperation as Iris merely sighed. "So Aurum, and then we saw Jin..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A..Aurum? I heard that right?" Pteru choked, looking from Yuuma to each of the others. "If you went from Aurum to Jin though... ...You're Ashlanders!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! You think she'd have done well enough in there -ka? We heard about family ties and took the trip-ka, simple as that." A lie she was getting very good at telling, Ka thought, but perhaps in its own way not a lie at all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris confirmed it. "Ultimately even this kind of trip is easier than finding more resources out there after all. I'd know," she added with a wink.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeesh..." The guard sighed, and after shaking his head looked back to Yuuma. "Well...I'd hope you didn't go under those cities, but I've at least heard enough about it- in the Gold Lands I suppose the Gold Lord likes to keep things sorted that way...nice, good things on the outside and top, anything else hidden beneath... The Red Lands though, if you went to any other city, it'd be fighting in the streets," he warned, Yuuma finding herself going pale with the words.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It... ...Heh..? O...Oi," she managed, half sputtering. "What do you mean, 'fighting in the streets'..? Here, it's nice right? People were having fun! They were playing music, or making stuff, or..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's right. That's 'here'- in Cor Ignis. ...The cities in the Gold Lands have Kings and Queens right?" he continued, turning toward Ka and Iris to confirm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The taller of the two nodded. "Ka! Got it in one. Who knows how they decided it -ka, but they do!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right. I don't know myself for the Gold Lands...but for Red, those sorts of things have always been through fights. In most cities you'll see, if there's a disagreement, they sort it out with a fight. The one who fights best, becomes the ruler of the city. It's simple, right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, things fell into place. Iris- now finding herself with an incredulous smile on her face behind the cowl- slowly spoke. "...Then when you say that 'Il Bolide' has been the reigning champion for <em>almost as long as the city</em>..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! You practically have a dictator then!!" Ka spat, Pteru merely laughing as Yuuma blinked confusedly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Do we?" he laughed, beaming. "Well...if it were some tyrant I'd agree of course- honestly, if it was someone truly terrible we'd probably have all banded together to take him down. Though I don't think we'd really stand a chance even doing that..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhhh? He's that strong..?!" Yuuma choked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pteru beamed. "I'd bet money on it. But as I was saying, Il Bolide isn't that sort. It's like you've seen. This city...its people...it's a place of peace, even if things are settled with fists at times. It's been that way for years, and with any luck it'll be that way for much longer too."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How impressive..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Iris murmured her words with awe, Ka continued to huff in disbelief. "It's unbelievable is what it is -ka! How does anyone or anything hold that kind of power over people that long, without screwing it up?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a strange look in the catfish's eye. As if he knew something, a great secret that was as clear as the sun in the sky. Whatever it was he did not say, instead carrying on cryptically and even playfully with his words. "It's ultimately like I said. He's just not that sort- you can see it in how the city itself exists. Maybe the whole region needs more time to follow, but in the end the way that he came to take that position says it all."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked, leaning in somewhat. "...You mean with the fighting? What do you mean? He just won, right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, he did...but back then, the way it worked was thus," he explained, gesturing carefully with his hands. "Often yes, people would fight over what mattered- but occasionally, they would have others fight for greater things. Will they try to have battle with a neighboring city? Will they send people off into the wilds to take down a griffon, or a hydra? The ones who put these battles together could be rich, very much so...and they wouldn't have to lift a finger. They would simply place their bets on who they thought would win, and decide from that."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Something that stupid?! As if it's hard to rig a fight -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Obviously that's true, but if anything that just cements why it was a broken system," Iris remarked, resting her head on her hand. "But then where does Il Bolide come in?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"By accident," Pteru chuckled, the three choking in reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A- Accident!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ehh?? How did he do it accidentally!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What the hell kind of accident makes you champion -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The kind where no one thought he would win, and thus, no one thought he was worth even speaking to. Il Bolide was a 'dark horse'. He came from nowhere, garbed in finery that none had even seen on the richest of barians. Ridged with claws of gold upon the hood, and gems upon the shoulders- the fabric itself was shades of ruby and garnet, woven together until it shined beneath the sun. According to the ones who had been there, they had assumed him to be some rich, young upstart looking to test his mettle. They would let him have his fun, and nothing more."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...And then he won," Iris 'confirmed', Pteru beaming.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And then he won. Introducing himself as Il Bolide, he arrived, he fought, and he quickly made it to the top. And then, that was when those placing their bets began to realize that the only way they were going to get anything they wanted was to bet on <em>him</em>."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahhh...but if everyone does that..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hm! Everyone bets on the same one, nothing gets done -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Indeed it doesn't! Which was why the one who called himself King- the reigning champion of the time- proposed a bargain. They would tell him what he was fighting for, and he'd do it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"As good as rigging it in that case, neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He thought so as well apparently. They say that when Il Bolide was presented with these rules, these ideas that the fighters of the ring be used to decide regardless of what the combatants wanted, were unacceptable. To watch the King decide who won or lost, by changing the balances in favor of what they wanted, while all those coming up with the ideas sat at the side? He wouldn't. So instead, Il Bolide, his crimson fist raised high, challenged the King. He declared that he would fight with his life on the line, and even offered to tie one fist behind his back. If he lost, he would lose his head. If he won, <em>he</em> would be King."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well obviously he won then -ka," Ka snorted, though she seemed less grimly amused than before somehow. "Or we wouldn't be here in the city hearing about him."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pteru nodded. "He did indeed- the King was so insulted he called for the entire city to watch the match in fact; and when Il Bolide won, he made some <em>changes</em>. First, he would not take part in any fights debating on personal matters. But in return, anyone who found something so important that they would fight over it, would need to bring it to the ring <em>first</em>. No more battles in the streets, he declared- battles were for the arena. As well, he insisted no child be allowed to battle until they were proven equal in power to their opponent; an impossible exception, as you know. But lastly..." The catfish's expression sharpened. "If any matter were to involve the life of another, it would come directly to him. And from there, he would decide; does he agree with the matter? Or does he disagree? And if he disagreed, the one who presented the idea would be facing <em>him</em> in the ring."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a whistle worthy matter- still fairly impossible for anyone to really challenge, as Ka had noted, but then as Pteru had also noted they would have undoubtedly done something by now if it was the worst case scenario. And given the state of the city, that was obviously not the case.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was something odd about this 'Il Bolide' however, Yuuma was realizing. Something seemed off, but she couldn't quite figure it out. "He did all that..." she managed to murmur, eyes wide.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To that, Pteru simply nodded in affirmation. "He did. He began the casual fights as well- tournaments, little things like that...things where the battle could simply be a battle, not something where it was a 'vote'. He might not stay around to talk to others very long, but when it comes to 'Kings', he's the best one we could ever ask for, I'm sure of it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Shame the policy didn't carry to others then -ka." Ka's words were half forced for the sake of filling the air, and Pteru shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It is what it is. The city reflects the care that Il Bolide has put into it however, that much is clear. I'm sure that when he comes back, we won't be seeing anything remotely resembling those 'Red Eyes' wandering these streets," he assured Yuuma, the girl nodding in agreement. She still didn't have a clue who they were talking about, but from how Pteru and others had spoken of the 'king', it felt like someone she could trust at least. "For now though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh? For now?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris smiled, clearing her throat. "I think now that you're awake, he's saying we should leave Yuuma."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka nodded. "It's an arena room, not a guest room-ka. Besides that -ka, we have things to be doing, remember..?" she hinted, Yuuma jumping at the reminder.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AHHH- Right! We were going to go through the Arena, and then- ...ahhh, we're in the arena though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a chuckle Pteru shook his head, watching the child with a fond smile. "I suspect touring the arena didn't involve this, so much as the arena itself. We're still open for visiting," he told her, "And beyond that if you need a little more time in here, there's no trouble in staying."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh. I'm alright, don't worry guard-guy!" While Pteru wheezed at the name- though it wasn't as if he'd ever given her his own, he ultimately decided- Yuuma just grinned. "I'm feeling great now..! I can definitely go now!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The fact that going home was part of 'going now' certainly helped the energy levels, but it wasn't as if the others were going to argue. Instead they nodded, agreement clear. "Thanks for helping though, neh? I know you already explained why but..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A nod from the guard. "I understand. Well. How about I give you a walk to the main entry then? Keep you from getting lost when you want to see the main feature! The Stone-Head at Cinthus! 'Cinthus' being the tree itself, of course."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was perhaps the mood of the guard that kept the mood of the others from dropping at the term used. 'Stone Head', while within the lands of one who was beheaded. Instead, a grin on the face of the youngest, they all seemed to take him up upon the offer. "Right..!" Yuuma cheered. "Lead the way, Guard-guy..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A pause, and-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Though so you know little one, my name is Pteru..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AH-!"</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0058"><h2>58. Chapter 58</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Pteru left them at the tunnel to return to his post, and frankly, they were glad he had.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tree itself was magnificent. The Cinthus tree it was called, massive and winding upward from a curious, slouched lump of a shape before it sprawled upward as the proud tower it was. It spun, coiled, and from the coil came many branches which each formed the flowers and arenas above. Looking upward, the arenas seemed deceptively close together- less like the daffodil shapes seen from a distance, and more some sort of clustered flower on a tall stem.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Those were the arenas. Yuuma had asked if Ka was still going to boost them up there and received a snort- it was useless, Ka claimed. She'd had her rest. Now, they needed to get to the palace. So with the top barred from her access, she moved around the front.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And hesitated.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The trunk of the tree from the other side seemed almost humanlike- a figure on its knees, 'arms' pinned backward to become rooted to the ground, to become the things that formed the sloping 'slouch' of the trunk. 'Shoulders' drawn back on the massive thing, the thing so large that she couldn't even do more than climb up the 'knees' of the figure if she tried.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But it was so clearly humanoid- like a ghost in her memory, she could see the shape, the man forced to kneel, his held head upward the way that the tree was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Stone head, he'd said..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris' words had her turn around to where the shorter of them gazed stiffly at the accompanying monument, resembling a tangle of stone roots upon the ground. It too was enormous- about as large as Yasu's face had been perhaps, the perfect size to sit where the tree came out from the rest of its trunk. If she stared at it, stared at the few stray roots and 'twigs'- and it was all stone, all of it really, however much like painted wood some of the portions seemed to look- she could see it as the moving, severed parts of the 'head'. See the hyacinthine hair, the tangled stone hiding so much of it, upon the ground.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>See one eye, a darkened stain upon the rock...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka, Yuuma, and Iris all stared in silence, but for the longest time they could say nothing more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Until at last, clawed hands upon her shoulder, the tallest of them spoke.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Let's get you home already -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was the softest she had ever heard her speak, and quietly, they took their leave and carried on.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0059"><h2>59. Chapter 59</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The trip to the palace was much like the trip to the arena, except somewhat in reverse. The other side of the plaza was almost identical to the end they had entered upon, albeit with a barian seemingly formed entirely of wisping tendrils performing some sort of interpretive dance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At least, that was probably what it was?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With the sight of Stone Head, all three of the travelers found themselves with their thoughts clouded by haze however. It was hard to focus, after the sight of what had so undoubtedly been a blatant reference to the Red Lord- to <em>Alit's</em>- death.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps the question was on Yuuma's mind. On her tongue even, the way she seemed to want to say something. Instead however nothing came. They walked, walked some more, and carried on walking for hours onward.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even Yuuma could not cling forever to silence, however. Eventually as they came near the end of their goal, Ka took their attention. "We should be coming to the way to the gates now -ka," she explained somewhat flatly. "Remember, I-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You'll handle it. Right," Yuuma answered, cutting the mosquito off. "...That's fine. I don't really know what I'd say now."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was dreary, gloomy, and far unlike the Yuuma they were used to. Ka stared for a moment, and then stared past the girl's shoulder to Iris herself- who simply looked back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Ka!" She snorted. "You better not be meeting your 'red friend' in this state -ka, or going home might not even happen..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She expected protest.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma simply nodded, and Ka found herself quick to give in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The map, when they had examined it, had three main entrances. One toward the Gold Lands, which they themselves had entered through. Another toward the seeming 'north', on the other side of the train-station's own entry point. And yet another directly south of it, toward the Pine Lands.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At the east, however, was no entry of any kind. It was instead the remainder of the mountain range that Cor Ignis seemed to be built at the edge of, many spires of dark red rising up into the distance to such an extent that once they had been close enough to the city, they hadn't been able to even see them. Mountains that rose and continued rising, becoming volcanoes first and then clear, rose masses of shard shattering crystal so typical of the High Lands at the far end of the world.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Here, they were mountains however. And here, it seemed that the palace of the Red Lord was supposedly built into that gateway area. It seemed strange that it be so close- then again Ka thought as they approached the great walkway up against the wall, Vector's current domain hadn't been especially hard to find either. Access, certainly, but not find.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Was it even his castle though, she found herself wondering? Even here at the gates, everything 'matched' with the realm. Where the entrance they had taken in had been a short tunnel through the wall exiting to the 'main level' of the city, the path onward was a great ramp, spread wide into a hill on its own. It was decorated not with statues of creatures or people, but instead of flowers- some perhaps being real flowers, their shining crystal petals gleaming with life. At the top of the ramp, and at the very end, there was only one guard to be seen. Stationed at the center of a great barred gate, the lower half carved into a mural of regal chimeric lions in battle and the upper half sectioned into widely spaced bars.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>One could probably fit an entire person through those, Ka couldn't help but observe with a snort. Useful for if they had to sneak in she supposed, but all the same.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The scenery 'matched'.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The palace Vector had been in...not so much somehow. There had been a more sinister edge, something worse than even the Ashlands themselves. Something radiating with the same forbidden power and energy that the sea it bordered on did, something that sent shudders down her spine.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She forced it from mind as she led the others forward, quietly relieved to see Yuuma slowly peering around with the curiosity she was more familiar with.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Good. She wasn't fond of things <em>changing</em> on her. Coming up to the guard who stood at the gate, she prepared for the talk. Truthfully, she didn't expect any legitimate way in. She was perhaps quietly looking forward to being able to plan a way in, as big as the mess was. Did it get any more intense than<em> breaking into a 'god's palace</em>?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She didn't dare say 'definitely not' given her luck in recent weeks, but frankly it was pretty damn big as far as heists went- even if nothing was to be stolen. For all her hate of things that threatened to drown her so easily, she couldn't keep from feeling a little excited. It was a challenge of sorts. A puzzle.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For now however, the lead up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Greetings to you," the barian at the gate drawled, sounding bored already. "Come to stare at the Red Gates? I can tell you this," he sighed, shrugging his broad shoulders. "They sure are gates."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barian was somewhat reminiscent of a badger. The front and top of their face was a steel snout of a mask, fangs pointing downward while great stripes pointed back and over the head. Their eyes were only barely missed by the mask- partly shadowed by them, and staring lazily down to the ones before them. All down their back, from the mask down, were steely spines, barely contained by the armor that seemed to be standard among the guards. With their great claws they supported the equally standard polearm- and it, in turn, supported their casual slouch.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka barely came to his chest. She hated him already. "They ever open -ka?" she asked, not even needing to fake the dry tone she had. As she spoke, Yuuma and Iris peeked out at the gate from behind her- the former ultimately moving to stand more at her side than anything.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If she did anything...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a snort, the barian laughed. "The gates? Of course not! They probably can't! No one sees the Red Lord- everyone knows that. Even the guards haven't seen him, and we're the ones watching the place!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma was already frowning. "Ehh? But then who asked you to guard here?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Honestly however, Ka couldn't help but feel fine with letting her speak for now. Her own smirk hidden by biology alone, the badger frowned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well it's not literal obviously..! Just because we don't get to see him up close and personal doesn't mean we don't get orders from him somehow..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Really?" Now Iris was speaking. Of course Iris was speaking. "That's unheard of with any of the others isn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suffice to say the barian's only reply was a shrug. They were getting a very casual aura from him, over all. "What can I say, he's a special guy! You only have to talk to him for like two seconds to figure that out. Not that his voice is clear over the crystals but..." Well, there it was, another shrug. "He's as old as the city isn't he? That's how old they say the Lords are, so it figures he'd be outdated like that...I'm not the original guard after all, you're looking at third generation here!" There was a pause, and he frowned at the group. "Nothing to guard against, but there you are."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And<em> now</em> Yuuma of course, was going a bit too far. "Well I guess you can be the first one to open them then..! That's where we need to go!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka stiffened. Iris sighed, albeit mutely.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The badger merely stared, and then snorted. "Pssssh. Wow. Real funny. You know, I actually haven't had anyone pull that joke? you'd think I would've, it's been a good 60 years."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma wasn't having any of it, even as Ka closed her eyes and asked herself what gods barians were supposed to pray for when the closest thing to it were the barian lords. "It's not a joke! I need to see Alit! It's-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl paused, just now realizing what sorts of looks were spiritually coming from her companions.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's important..! If you ask him yourself, you'll even be able to confirm it! Just say, 'Yuuma is at the gate', and you'll see!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was admittedly a margin of surprise at the use of Alit's true name- the guard had most certainly not expected that. The boredom quickly returned however, even if he adjusted how he sat against the spear. "You say you know the guy more than all of us, huh girly?" The badger's expression moved into a sneering smirk, and he leaned down. "Well, you're definitely fiery enough for him! Maybe I <em>will</em> give him a call then- ask if he has any concubines running around...or maybe if he wants one, for that matter!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Heh? A porcupine?" Yuuma asked, but ultimately she did not receive her answer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The minute the word concubine had left the oversized badger's mouth, Ka was hissing and stepping between them- roughly grabbing at the barian's mask with a sneer of her own. "Did I hear that right, -ka? 'Concubine', was it? Did you think about the size of who you were looking at -ka, or are you just used to looking down on everyone?" While Yuuma stepped back, the badger cowed- evidently not at all used to anything taking him up to a challenge from a good two feet below him. "Use more than just your eyes -ka..! Everyone else in this stupid oversized city could figure it out! You're talking to a kid! A kid -ka! And you're making jokes like that?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh come on, it's not like anyone's actually that young..!" the guard yelped, not yet fighting back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well guess what -ka! She is! She's as fresh as it gets!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"OW-! OW! That's really sensitive, come on, this is the cheapest blow you can go for..!" he whined. "How was I supposed to know anyway!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What kind of idiot just makes that kind of joke on a guess -ka!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnn...could I interrupt maybe?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka-?" Ka turned, her expression of irritation countered only by the badger's own expression of embarrassed disgruntlement. "What. What is it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris coughed, and simply pointed to the mosquito's other side. "We're missing something."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She released the barian immediately. "KA-" And immediately, it was clear what 'something'- rather 'someone'- was. "Y-YUUMA..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ugh! At least you finally let go..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"'Ugh'!?" Ka screeched. "Don't just 'ugh' -ka..! You're supposed to be a guard here aren't you? Pathetic -ka! Things as tall as you really do just rest on their laurels -ka! Help me find the kid!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Watching the display, Iris simply sighed- looking toward the gate. "Mnnh... ...I wish we could've said farewells more properly, but I suppose this is what it's come to hasn't it..." Another sigh, and she watched as the other two continued to bicker.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She really hoped they stopped soon. All end goals aside, it just wouldn't be right if they didn't find a way to get in and make sure Yuuma had properly gotten her trip home without trouble.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0060"><h2>60. Chapter 60</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>[THE BARIAN WORLD]</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lure Mizael out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was the goal in mind, but even Tron had to pause when his son came before him on the coms from the north lab to make his request.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Apparently there was some sort of ruin on the moon. Something of great importance to the numbers war and...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Right, just trying to think it over gave him a headache actually.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Chris had been serious. Absolutely serious, with an expression that brought such damning and desperate edge that he could not say no.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Therefore he moved in silence. It was not so much power that he had ever needed from the barian lords- according to them, he had been brimming with it. It was guidance. The knowledge of how to cross dimensions had been unknown. The knowledge of how to use that power and protect what was vulnerable was unknown. In return for that knowledge, they therefore gained his employ.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If only for a while.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Things had changed after all. Yuuma had changed things. And now with Yuuma missing, they needed to pick up the slack.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tron moved in silence, and went first to the great palace tower that acted as a meeting place for the many barian lords in recent times. He kept to the shadows, and hid his energy well, wearing the mask upon his face even where it was no longer needed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But the one he needed wasn't there. In fact, he noted with curiosity, no one was. He was able to walk freely through the hall, even able to inspect the great throne, before taking to the skies in a bolt of energy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was irritating, but not unexpected he supposed. After all, it had been a full two months now. The barian lords had their own domains, and none of them were the throne room of the missing High Lord.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So he returned to the place he had gone first.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Long, long ago he could remember, he had travelled over the desert of gold on foot. First as a man, and then, having collapsed to rest, he woke as a child. He crossed the desert and encountered a beast of untold horrors, something which took part of his face before he'd blown it away from instinct alone- and then he'd made it to their cities.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barian lords had never mentioned the cities of the lands, but he assumed of course that they were the reason they fought so heavily. It could be called tragedy, but ultimately in the grand state of things between the three realms it was clear to him now that the barians current methods would threaten the livelihood of the earth itself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a time when he wouldn't have cared about that. In truth, he still didn't.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But for his sons, and for the son of Kazuma, he did care.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Long, long ago, he had crossed the desert of gold and threatened gate keepers and kings with a single question- how to go home.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They had laughed and told him he was dead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then they had trembled and told him it was impossible.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then, at last, quaked and pointed him in the direction of greater powers. It was a trail of mixed threat and destruction that brought him to the capital of the so-called 'Gold Lands'. Brought him to the gates with the same request, the great wall smoking at his power as his half-torn face swirled with angry energy. The guards therefore had finally caved and told him to look upward.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Up, to where the pillars of the city moved and eventually faded. Up, beyond the clouds, beyond everything that could no longer cast a shadow upon the city of Jin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What he had seen then was what he could see now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Above the clouds the pillars looked more akin to a cage, he thought to himself. Poles with nothing between them, dragons coiling around them once they passed the clouds, it felt as he passed through, like a weak barrier. He hadn't noticed it when Mizael brought him to Durbe so long ago. Hadn't noticed it when the barian lord, disgusted and confused by the invader to his home, alarmed by the words of travel from another world, had taken him with to gain audience with his fellows.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The 'land' above the clouds was not nearly so large as the capital. Rimmed with stone however, one could almost call it a meadow- a sea of pale green crystal grass, with larger gold stones upon which could be seen <em>dragons</em>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The palace in comparison was small indeed, and after all what reason would Mizael require a large palace. He was a barian lord, a figure who needed not food nor drink, nor even sleep. It was if anything, nothing but a room with a throne in itself- crystals floating within, while the realm around it housed all that the Gold Lord desired.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The company of 'fellows', the serenity and quiet of isolation.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When he had found Mizael the first time it was upon the throne. Regal, composed, and infuriated that one would dare to come upon his hall. How dare a human step foot there, he had said, and Tron in turn had smiled, happy to finally be acknowledged as such.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now, Mizael could not be farther from that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tron did not reveal himself initially, quietly enjoying the fact that he could hide himself with this much skill from those who the people below considered to be 'gods'. They were far from it after all, he was sure. But how could anyone else have known?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he approached however, he could not help but observe the oddness of matters. Mizael stood with one of the many, many native dragons of the land, curious creatures formed one part of stone and another part of light. Crystal armor over energy, gleaming in the ever bright sun. There was nothing natural about them, he could not help but think now. They felt more like toys, like dolls, gifted to a spoiled child to keep them occupied.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mizael, he realized, felt rather like a child who had just now realized this fact.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tron removed the mask.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mizael flinched, picking up the energy signature immediately, but did not immediately turn.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aaaah? Am I such a stain on your existence that you can't even look at me, <em>Mizael</em>?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barian lord did not turn still, but he shook with visible rage. "What have you come here for, traitor? Do you intend to trade sides again, now that your savior has vanished?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ah, so they knew of that. Well, of course they did- whether they meant the disappearance of Yuuma, or the seeming death of Astral, there had been no progression on the matter of numbers hunting for weeks. It would have been impossible not to notice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That said, Tron chuckled. "I can act for myself. I don't need the help of Yuuma and Astral to keep what's important to me safe. You on the other hand, seem to be having troubles...I suppose though, there was a reason you needed my help to being with wasn't there?" he added, smiling just too sharply for it to be sweet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At last Mizael turned, whirling upon the other in anger. But just as soon as his hands were sparking, he saw the messy, missing portion of being that Tron had to call a 'face'. He hissed, he seethed, and he stopped in place.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tron only grinned. "Ohh? You're that disgusted?" he laughed, even clapping with the sound. "Really? This old injury has you that frozen that you can't even raise a finger against me?" Mizael narrowed his eyes, and Tron darted forward, stopping mere inches away from the other. "Did you forget about why your friend gave me that mask? Maybe if you touched it, it would refresh your memory- Touching energy like that must surely be different from flesh and blood~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nhh! What have you come for!" Mizael snapped, stepping back for every motion Tron made to come closer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was fun, toying with someone like this again. Ahh, so fun, far too fun, he thought.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But, he added quietly to himself, Chris' eyes had been filled with fear. He had said 'there isn't any time', and added 'we need to act now.'</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"<em>Kaito will be launching the moment you confirm you've found Mizael. Regardless of if you can convince him, at that point. We can probably get him back, but at this point, for Kaito...</em>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The eldest of the Tenjou brothers was dying. This he knew. This he had capitalized on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I've got a message," Tron hummed, hovering in the air. "...From the Galaxy Eyes Master."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The rage in Mizael's eyes was all that he needed to know that Kaito's trek would not be in vain.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0061"><h2>61. Chapter 61</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Climbing up the gate was strangely easy, Yuuma thought to herself after falling through the bars at the other side. The carvings were perfect footholds, and since hardly any had been there at the top of the ramp-way, the only ones who could have witnessed the climb were the ones busy in an argument.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The otherside of the gate was initially dark- it was a long, craggy tunnel, with nothing to light the way at all. Eventually however, she began to see light. Light, and more importantly massive pillars and arches, far distant across a garden of crystal grass and rocky, hyacinthine trees- smaller varieties of what had grown from the arena itself, she realized with a small swallow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma couldn't remain nervous however as she walked. In she went, across the great garden toward a palace well hidden and flanked by mountain stone. The buildings were very much like those in the city itself. tile roofing, great open windows- passing through what could have been a hall in itself brought her to yet another garden in fact, and it occurred to her that there was absolutely no one here.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Or at least, no one else.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alit </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be here after all, she told herself with a determined grin. He</span>
  <em>
    <span> had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be, this was his home wasn't it? And it certainly felt more like his. It wasn't opulently decorated. It wasn't saturated with wealth, or with sculpture. Everything simply was, and cupping her hands as she began to run into the halls, not a single close door existing in the place, she began to shout.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"ALIT!" she cried, hood flying off her head. "ALIT!! OII! IT'S ME, YUUMA..! ALIT!" she shouted louder, running to and fro in the place. "COME OUT! Come-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well!" "How interesting!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A pair of twinned voices met her ears, and before she knew it, she was off the ground.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How interesting, someone new!" "Someone new, but they know Alit already!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps, she realized, she had been wrong about there not being anyone there.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0062"><h2>62. Chapter 62</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"AaaaAAAH-!"</p><p> </p><p>While Yuuma shouted, she did not shout of any fear. It was very much a shout of surprise, and for good reason.</p><p> </p><p>"W- Wai- There were people here after all..!?" Yuuma shouted, currently supported by two sets of arms at once. The barians holding her were difficult to make out, but what little she saw was already quite a lot. Their eyes were large, practically mounted on stalks, the irises moving between three glossy gem-like surfaces making up the whole eye. Their heads over all made her think of a mantis- except their mouths were different, appearing more as if someone had taken a paper folding fortune game and covered it with stone. As they spoke, she could see them open both as a normal mouth, as a 'sideways' one, and all at once- watching <em>things</em> moving inside, like tiny little legs.</p><p> </p><p>She tried not to pay attention to that, something which was easy given she had to go back and forth between who was speaking as it was. "Just us two!" spoke the first man, bouncing her gleefully.</p><p> </p><p>"Just us two, and now you as well!" added the second, a woman, identical in appearance to the other. For each bounce they caught her eagerly, and though their mouths did not move much with their emotions, something else certainly did. Beyond the two long, branching antennae like things they both had from just under their 'jaws', there were also two fan-like appendages flapping directly off the neck. They seemed akin to feathers, and they did not stop moving at all as they spoke.</p><p> </p><p>"You as well, but ah! What a shame!"</p><p> </p><p>"What a shame," the woman agreed, Yuuma finding the identical appearances and voices disorienting already, "He didn't tell us about you at all!"</p><p> </p><p>"AaaAAH- Maybe..! If I stopped..! Bouncing..!"</p><p> </p><p>"Bouncing?"</p><p> </p><p>"Up and down, bouncing, but we can't help it you know!"</p><p> </p><p>"You know, you're such a strange squishy thing, all humany-looking!"</p><p> </p><p>"Humany-looking and squishy, you know we've basically never seen that here before!"</p><p> </p><p>"Never, not at all-"</p><p> </p><p>"If you don't put me down, I'm going to puke..!"</p><p> </p><p>That stopped the bouncing, though probably not for concern of the act. Instead, the two shrimps seemed to pause- giving Yuuma time to turn while in their grip. She realized that despite their seemingly identical appearances, their long, tall bodies did indeed carry one subtle difference between them. The woman- who she had sworn was on the left not the right, but she was disoriented after all- had a second set of arms beneath her first set, held up and close to her front. She could make out barbs along the edges, like scythes hidden for attack. The other however, she-</p><p> </p><p>...She? Yuuma blinked, trying to pay it no mind. Alright, they were both girls now then, very well. The second had no such barbs to their second arms- they were rounded, albeit in a way that made them difficult to tell apart from the other's arms. Like clubs, rather than knives, perfect for punching.</p><p> </p><p>And now- ...Yuuma blinked once again.</p><p> </p><p>"Hmm, she said all that, but she won't talk now..."</p><p> </p><p>"She won't talk, but she got us to stop? Was it a trick?"</p><p> </p><p>Yuuma choked, regaining her senses. "O-Oi...You're switching things..!"</p><p> </p><p>"Things?"</p><p> </p><p>"Switching things?!" The pair choked, Yuuma carrying on with fluster.</p><p> </p><p>"I thought you were a guy, but then you were a girl, and then now you're..."</p><p> </p><p>"Ohh!! Scyllis, she caught on right out!"</p><p> </p><p>"She caught on Charyb, but isn't that because we just met?"</p><p> </p><p>"True we did just meet..."</p><p> </p><p>"Aaaaaaauhhh, this talking is hurting my head...how do you two know Alit..!" Yuuma protested, the 'shrimp' giants still failing to put the girl down as they stood upon their odd, segmented legs. Their backs moving down into cloaks that almost resembled tails, the rainbow colours among the indigo of their shells only served to further disorient among the reds and oranges of the palace they were in.</p><p> </p><p>But at last, it seemed, they were getting somewhere. "Well of course we know Alit!"</p><p> </p><p>"Alit's the first one we ever knew, other than each other!"</p><p> </p><p>"Doesn't count with each other, because we're twins you see!"</p><p> </p><p>"Twins, in every single way! Life, death, start, finish!"</p><p> </p><p>"Crossed that finish line young, just like him!"</p><p> </p><p>"We think it's like him, never asked, that's rude you know!"</p><p> </p><p>"It's rude but you just started talking about it!!"</p><p> </p><p>"Me! You continued!"</p><p> </p><p>Yuuma groaned, and soon enough the groaning was joined by a grumbling sound. The twins immediately paused.</p><p> </p><p>"Grumbling?"</p><p> </p><p>"From this one?"</p><p> </p><p>"But from the middle-"</p><p> </p><p>"The middle of barians don't-"</p><p> </p><p>"I'm hungry..!" Yuuma protested aloud, completely forgetting the matter of barians never experiencing it. "And I don't understand a thing you're saying..! You're saying you're 'young' like Alit, but Alit's supposed to be more than 500 right..? And you said you know him, but not how, and..."</p><p> </p><p>"Barians don't get hungry right?"</p><p> </p><p>"I've never gotten hungry!"</p><p> </p><p>"I haven't either..!"</p><p> </p><p>Yuuma found herself slumping in their grip, unable to muster up the energy to argue. They were simply<em> too </em> much- too much to keep up with, even for her, and after all the walking without much more than snuck jerky snacks, it was simply too tiring. She was so devoid of energy that she simply zoned out for a few moments, only coming to again when she realized she was moving. "Huh?"</p><p> </p><p>"Don't you worry weird barian, we've got you covered!"</p><p> </p><p>"Super covered! We don't eat a lot, but we eat sometimes!"</p><p> </p><p>"Gotta eat after a fight after all, Alit keeps us on our toes!"</p><p> </p><p>"He keeps us on our toes, but you know, he's the one always winning and saying we keep him on his!"</p><p> </p><p>"Keeping him on his! He's got it backwards that Alit!"</p><p> </p><p>"Always has!"</p><p> </p><p>"...I'm getting food!?" Yuuma grinned, and then- "Ahh- Wait, but why can't we just see Alit then!?"</p><p> </p><p>Immediately the pair paused, and looked to the other before shrugging. "Well, we'd love to do that you know."</p><p> </p><p>"Love to! You obviously know him."</p><p> </p><p>"Know his name after all, really confidently too."</p><p> </p><p>"Confidence is key! But you're also kinda squishy..."</p><p> </p><p>"Never seen someone squishy before...and now you're hungry..."</p><p> </p><p>"Ahh- Are you saying that makes me suspicious?" she asked, huffing. "...The reason for all of that stuff is because I'm human..! I didn't die to come here! I fell here!!"</p><p> </p><p>"Hoooh! You can do that?!"</p><p> </p><p>"She must, she's squishy! It can't be pretending!"</p><p> </p><p>"Pretending makes no sense anyway, what would it help for!"</p><p> </p><p>"She's all defenseless, did Alit have to save her..?"</p><p> </p><p>Yuuma was gradually, bit by bit, starting to figure out how to keep up with things- it was still a hell of a headache however. "Save- Oh! ...Yeah, I guess he did when all of..." She trailed off, realizing how awkward it would be to mention the Barians at war. "...He did once- but that's not how we met! We were dueling!" she cheered. "And we've dueled a few times! He'd know that!"</p><p> </p><p>A pause, and the shrimps blinked- or at least, she assumed they did when the irises vanished briefly from their eyes. "...Dueling?"</p><p> </p><p>"Alit talked about that a bit before he left right?"</p><p> </p><p>"Just before he left, that's right! Started talking about 'duels'- asked if we would try it with him."</p><p> </p><p>"We wanted to try, but where did he even get those cards!"</p><p> </p><p>"Cards came from nowhere, if you ask me..."</p><p> </p><p>"Ahhh! You both know then!" Yuuma cheered. "Then-"</p><p> </p><p>"That was months ago though," Scyllis sighed.</p><p> </p><p>"Left all grumbling saying he'd been called for 'work'," Charyb added with a nodd. "Real shame,"</p><p> </p><p>"Big shame! He works too much here if you ask us."</p><p> </p><p>"Because he's a 'lord'?" Yuuma started, only to pause. Hold on- if he'd left after talking about duels...<em> months </em> ago... "W...Wait...He hasn't been here for that long..!?"</p><p> </p><p>The shrimps both nodded. "It's what we've been saying!"</p><p> </p><p>"We wish he'd come back, it's not the same fighting without him."</p><p> </p><p>"Worse than not the same, because they held off the fights for him..!"</p><p> </p><p>"Well, for Il Bolide anyway," Charyb laughed, Yuuma staring dejectedly at the floor.</p><p> </p><p>If Alit wasn't here... "...That means...I can't... ...No... ...I was going to ask him to help me get home..! I..."</p><p> </p><p>This time as the twins stopped, Yuuma realized they were in a room- it had plenty of cushions of odd-ball colours, and if she looked, she could see that there were even folded hammocks at either end. It was a small room, but most certainly the one that the shrimps called 'theirs'.</p><p> </p><p>She was set down upon the cushions, and finally able to see the shrimps in full. They were indeed very tall- taller than even the badger guard at the gate, she would guess. Dangling parts of stone and metal hung off their sides like extra 'legs' in addition to the two they had, two which already looked more like a pair fused together with odd clawed feet. They could be called the most 'alien' barians she'd seen yet. And yet, she thought, they looked the most like a creature she knew of as well.</p><p> </p><p>They also seemed to be studying her, she realized. "Hey...if you're human, that means you're <em> really </em> small," Scyllis seemed to determine almost quietly.</p><p> </p><p>"Smaller than we were when we got here," Charyb continued, "And that was more than 500 years ago!"</p><p> </p><p>Scyllis nodded. "We were 15 when we arrived, and we're 585 now!"</p><p> </p><p>Wh- "Th- That old..! That's older than Alit isn't it..!?"</p><p> </p><p>The twins pondered this. "Maybe..?"</p><p> </p><p>"Don't really know. We met him real young too."</p><p> </p><p>"Real young! They told us right off the bat after we came here, they said 'you can't go in the gates, that's where the Red Lord lives'."</p><p> </p><p>"If it's where he lives you can't argue with that, but we were still curious you know."</p><p> </p><p>"Too curious to be scared- well, we were a little scared, but not enough to stay away at least."</p><p> </p><p>"Since we didn't stay away, we crawled in here real fast- found him right off!"</p><p> </p><p>"He was him-size though, so he's probably older."</p><p> </p><p>"He must be! Anyway, he attacked, we attacked back, and the rest is history!"</p><p> </p><p>"A lot of history! Too much for you, you're tiny."</p><p> </p><p>"So tiny! No wonder humans need food," Scyllis determined. "But don't worry! We'll get you plenty!"</p><p> </p><p>Yuuma tried to smile, but instead she simply nodded- the twins quickly realized their error.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, food isn't the only thing we should do I guess," Chary determined. "...You said...'home'?"</p><p> </p><p>"Home is here for us, but I can't imagine leaving it now."</p><p> </p><p>"We'd want the same if we were stuck outside the gates, definitely."</p><p> </p><p>"He's bound to come back though!"</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah! They can't keep him in the big-guy's palace forever!"</p><p> </p><p>Yuuma's attention snapped up. "...The...'big-guy'?"</p><p> </p><p>The twins both cheered, shoulder to shoulder, and as they answered for some reason she felt her blood chill. </p><p> </p><p>"The big-guy! The King of the Lords! The Barian Emperor! Nasch, of the High Lands!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0063"><h2>63. Chapter 63</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was a name that she had heard many times now. It was the name that Durbe had used while fooling them all- the name of someone he had obviously known, but known they wouldn't have met before. She hadn't put much thought to it. After all in the end, thinking far and long upon conspiracies and plots was not where her strength, but instead her weakness, lay.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For whatever reason though, hearing those words struck her silent, and it took everything she had to speak. "Th... The Emperor did..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure did- or at least, what's what we figure."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We figure as much since it's the Emperor's place- Alit said so!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But what he also said was that someone named Durbe was calling!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He was calling, so we had to keep quiet and stick to another room. He had a bad feeling, he said."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Same bad feeling he got plenty of other times!" Scyllis laughed. "He just didn't want to get in trouble with his fellow Lords, obviously!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well obviously! But it's funny!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, this was all great and such, but whether Nasch was or wasn't involved one thing was clear. "I have to go to the 'High Lands' then..." she muttered, frowning. "...Iris was going there, and I guess Ka would have gone with too but..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The shrimp both stared, and finally Yuuma fell back on the pillows.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aaaawwww geeze..! I'm never telling Akari I'm skipping my showers again! I've had like three in the last two months..!!" And that was only because the people on Bamao's ship had filled a basin! For that matter, if she really thought about it, it was more like one month- from Aurum, to the ship, to Cor Ignis here.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are showers important?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Must be, humans sure need a lot..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O-Oii, you were human once too right?!" Yuuma protested, the pair shrugging.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ages ago though!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We've forgotten you know!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well maybe not forgotten."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We can remember if we think about it, but we don't talk about it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Talking about that stuff's taboo! It's super rude!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Really rude! It's the one thing you don't ask someone!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl blinked, and slowly began to realize something. "...If...that's something you don't talk about... ...then does that mean Alit never..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hn? Alit?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! I get it. She's asking if we know how Alit died right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course we don't know how he died! You don't talk about that kind of stuff!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Alit doesn't know how we died either- that's not important anyway. What's important is a good fight!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So that was why, then.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Had Alit thought of this, she wondered, when he disappeared from the arena? Of his friends, and the barians in the city? Or was it only about his own death, and the implications it brought? Yuuma stared, and then looked down. "...a good fight..." She sniffed, and the shrimps watched in silence. "...I'm sorry," she managed. "...When he comes back... ...I don't know, if he'll be able to fight the same way. If he was ever in that arena... ...the whole arena looks like how he died, you know? I'm pretty sure..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh! That can't be right!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If it's right, how was he fighting before!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You know, maybe this is why he didn't go at first actually..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma frowned, looking up and wiping at her eye as it watered. "...Why he didn't go..?" she asked, the twins quickly breaking into explanation. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course! When we first met, we fought plenty in the arena he has here!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Big and empty, lots of room! And we could use whatever weapons and stuff we wanted!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Anything we wanted he said, but we thought, 'hey, what if he could fight other guys!'"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Fighting other guys would probably be way more fun right? So we said, 'hey, we can sneak in here easy!'"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Super easy! For a barian lord to sneak out would be even easier!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We talked to him about that, and you know what, it looked like he got slapped with a good right hook!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Slapped so hard, he couldn't see!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He hadn't thought about it at all! He even said so!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Said that, said that he didn't even think about leaving without a disguise actually! Kinda weird, we thought."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But I guess he did have everything he needed..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Was that why the barians never saw the barian lords, Yuuma wondered? Because they never thought about leaving? The girl stared, wondering quietly to herself what would have happened if these two hadn't so innocently crawled in and befriended him despite warnings from other barians. Would he just...never have thought about it?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So he really is the 'bowleed' guy..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The twins 'grinned', feather fans flapping as they laughed. "Haha!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hah! Bow leed! Nice!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Il Bolide! The fireball!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We came up with all kinds of ideas!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Took a while though, you know!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A long while, he kept shaking his head, saying 'nope, not right'."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But he got it, and he got a real good cloak, and went out!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We'd asked if he wanted to try just walking out normal of course," Charyb added.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course!" Scyllis continued. "It's not like anyone else knew what he looked like!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Seemed really nervous about it anyway though, that's why we came up with the cloak idea. And the cool name!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If you're fighting in a cloak, and hiding who you are, you have to have a cool name!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma just stared, an expression of awe and amusement on her face. "Hehhh...so just like that, he ended up king at the same time..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is that what he's always doing then?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He's doing something important, so I guess so!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Keeps him on his toes at least."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Just like us!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Their moods were contagious, she had to say. The not-quite-cheer but instead pleasant bluntness, the innocence of it all. Even she recognized it as such- and as much as others could call her naïve, it felt a bit like she'd finally been outdone. Unable to hold it back anymore, the girl laughed- arms wrapped around her middle, head nodding along as she tried to calm down. "PffFHAHAHA! That guy...I..." Thinking of 'kings' made her think of the arena again. Of the statue in the middle, of...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Awww, you're all gloomy again..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Shame that you keep doing that, humans really are fast about this stuff huh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahhh...w- well!" She couldn't protest properly, even if her smile was sad. "...Alit...didn't know how he died either. ...The reason I know is because I heard the story about who he used to be- and then dueled him where it happened. ...In a big arena, where..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohp!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahp!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Immediately, one hand from each was over her mouth, and she jumped. "Mpgh!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No spoilers!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's sad, it's true! But we don't have to know!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We'll understand no matter what the reason is, no matter what he picks!" Scyllis assured the girl. "Because Alit's our best friend!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Alit's the one who tells us apart no matter how we're feeling!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And that's with our shirts on!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And even if we're trying to mess him up!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So don't feel like you have to say why," she insisted, winking in turn with her sibling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Exactly," Charyb said, his wink mirroring the other's. "What happens, we'll handle it with a one-two-knockout! Counter-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh-! Counter blow..! ...Right?" Yuuma asked, the shrimps squealing with glee.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Exactly! Exactly!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"She's got it! You're totally Alit's friend! Only Alit would share the Counter Blow!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, but she didn't actually do the Counter right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's right! So we'll have to-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Gently-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Go-!" shouted both at once, and immediately, she realized two fists were coming her way. Reacting instinctively, she moved with her dueling arm- down, around, and-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"EHH!! WHICH CHEEK THOUGH!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Haha!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HAHA!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"She's got it!" they cheered, pulling back before any contact could be made.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Confirmed! She's got it! We're all friends for sure then!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aaaah...Of course we are aren't we..! We've been talking about all of that, right?" Yuuma countered, the shrimps simply laughing in turn. Well. "Mnh...I guess even if it's going to be a long time though, I can still go home then! Alit's still here, just in a different castle then!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's right!" Charyb encouraged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Exactly right!" Scyllis added. Both, however, paused. "Boy, that must be real hard when you're so squishy though."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We've seen some crazy stuff outside the city!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Crazy stuff! Alit's probably seen it too, having to meet the other Barian Lords all the time though."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We never mentioned it, no one has to think about those types of things!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Especially not the rain!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But gosh, you're so squishy..!" they continued again, Yuuma pouting.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not that squishy..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You are! You're super squishy!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I could poke you, and you'd probably break!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's called a cut! That's not breaking, it's just a cut!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Exactly! Exactly!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AaAAAGH!" Yuuma groaned, and the groaning was joined by another rumbling sound from her stomach. Oh...right. "Mnhhhh...we still don't have food either..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's the other thing huh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We'll have to get that stuff, but if you need food a whole bunch, that's gotta be really hard."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Really hard, and apparently you have to have those shower things..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Unable to keep things to herself, Yuuma simply curled up and grumbled a bit more too. "I don't even have more than one set of clothes...finding spots to sleep are fine, but it's weird wearing the same thing without washing it..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barians hummed to themselves at this. "Squishy and unprotected..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Unprotected, no supplies..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We've got it!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course we've got it!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay squishy! We'll be back with everything!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hah!?" As the two left the room, they quickly ducked their heads back in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! We'll send you Arkto!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Arkto can keep you company while we get the stuff!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And then after the stuff, we can teach you more stuff!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And if we teach you more stuff, even being squishy won't matter!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked, standing up. "HEH!? W- Wait! I need to go get the others is what I have to-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't worry Squishy!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Arkto's great!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The twins were gone in what was barely a flash, and Yuuma stood there in stunned silence. While tempted to leave the room however, a low, rumbling grumble on the air quickly made her rethink that option.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever Arkto was, she realized, they probably weren't a standard barian.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0064"><h2>64. Chapter 64</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She'd stood before a bear before. She hadn't thought, just moved, and then looked it boldly in the eye. It was the same with the wyrm- she had known it was dangerous. Terrifying. But as if everything shut off, she had acted then. Because others were there. Because others were scared. Because it felt right.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Move, and things would move with her. Work with her. And-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"GggRROOOF." The growling came, and Yuuma found herself holding her breath- but the thing coming near the door couldn't be that dangerous could it? The shrimps had considered it a companion. A friend. A-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhh!! You're just a big rock bear!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She'd stood before a bear before, but she hadn't thought it would happen again. More confusingly was that the bear- towering higher than even the twins had- did not seem even half as aggressive as the one in the forest. It simply stood- a great rocky mask on its face that seemed so crudely torn in two that the cracks were what formed its teeth- sniffing at the air with two forelimbs held close, and two others dangling almost uselessly at its side. Its great shaggy fur seemed like fibers of glass, gold, and steel all in one, yet as it clomped down onto all six legs to trot over she felt as if she was being approached by a large dog.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Uhhh..." The 'bear' snuffed, rubbing against her cheek a bit roughly. "Oii, careful! That scratches you know!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ggrrrouurrf." Another snuff, and changing tactics somewhat, the 'bear'- Arkto, she supposed- tentatively raised a paw- slowly bringing it toward the head to bat at it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Was...she being 'pet'?? "Uhh... OOf-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At about that point, she was pulled in by the limb, held close against astoundingly soft 'glass' fur as Arkto rolled on their back. "RrRRROUUURRRG!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HAH!? You're cuddly!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, they were sure right about this bear she supposed- though she did wonder how long she'd be held there. "Mnh...Maybe I can just sleep here then..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It wouldn't be for long, but as she drifted off in the 'bear's arms, she decided it was a good enough excuse for a nap at least.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0065"><h2>65. Chapter 65</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Oh!! Oh, it's cute!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Someone was talking, she thought through her sleepy haze, but she couldn't be bothered to wake up for it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's so cute! We definitely did good, getting everything!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Everything, even from in the city! Good thinking, look how cute this is!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately, the someones were not </span>
  <em>
    <span>stopping</span>
  </em>
  <span> either.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So cute! What a good idea! Arkto is always sleeping!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sleeping, fighting, sleeping...Gwerin are so good for practice pets!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The best! I'm so glad we stole it for Alit!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnhhhh..." The twins clammed up, as both Yuuma and Arkto began to stir. "Who..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh no!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh no!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The twins shared looks, and hurriedly stood back with raised arms. "...Surprise!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh..?" Yuuma's confusion both faded and intensified as she awoke, blinking sleep from her eyes as the 'bear' she was still held by slowly sat up as well. Currently gripped more like she was the bear's own cuddle toy, she slumped over the forelimbs awkwardly and rubbed at her eyes. "What's... ...Huh!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What she saw was frankly quite impressive. She'd blearily caught the word 'everything', but apparently when the twins had said that, they </span>
  <em>
    <span>meant</span>
  </em>
  <span> it. There were </span>
  <em>
    <span>piles</span>
  </em>
  <span> of things there- food and clothing alike- and the barians looked quite pleased with themselves.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma, her stomach more than ready to remind her that she'd now</span>
  <em>
    <span> slept</span>
  </em>
  <span> on an empty stomach as well, found herself quite pleased as well. "Is all that... ...You got all that for me!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure did!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We did! So much food!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Said it was for something important!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Very important. Too important for just training."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We can train later! Food first!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Food for the squishy! Arkto, drop!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Without much warning, Yuuma was dropped from the bear's arms, the girl giving a small 'oof' as she landed on the pillows. She couldn't be upset however, instead hurrying over to sample from the plethora of goods laid out. It was very much a small buffet- some looked like bread, somehow blown up from crystals into steaming loaves. They glittered as though powdered with sheer gold, pocked with holes that spoke of airy rock. Others were fruits- not merely the berries she was so familiar with, but massive cut melons with rinds of dusty grey and insides that spiked inward into geodes. There were pieces of meat, and even entire 'fish'- though it was hard to say that fish was quite what they were, with all the odd shapes and stony appendages coming off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was even some kind of basin of water- napkins set into the handles, as a clear tool for washing her fingers between foods. It was all wonderful-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And she dove in immediately. "Hahhh!!! Finally..! Thanks, shrimp guys!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! Shrimp guys!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Shrimp! We said our names though!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh...Mmmpmh..." Taking great mouthfuls of food into her mouth with each bite, most words came through muffled. "Mmn, right! I thought I heard something like names I guess..?" A swallow, and she pointed. "But you know, you guys have been calling me 'squishy' this whole time too! I've got a name too you know!" Another mouthful of food, and she grinned. "And it's Yuuma..! So, what were yours again!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohhh...'Yuuma'?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yuuma...you never said it before you know!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Should have said it before!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah but you guys just kept going..!" Yuuma protested, the shrimps ignoring the matter for the moment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This is Scyllis!" The one with clubs insisted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And this is Chary!" The other replied, each pointing to the other.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hnn! Got it..." Except hold on. When they'd been talking before, the one with 'scythes' had called the one with 'clubs' Scyllis, and... "Oi!! You tried to trick me!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The shrimps stared, and then giggled, watching as Yuuma ate her fish in irritation. "Heheheheeee...it was worth it though!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So worth it! We had to see to be sure!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Just to be sure! Only Alit's able to tell us apart for real otherwise!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnhhhh...I'm definitely not going to forget which one is right..." Yuuma muttered in turn, slowly feeling more properly fed with each bite. About halfway through another bun, she paused and looked toward the other piles. "...But...what are all those?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh right!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right, right, these!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"These are clothes and stuff!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Lots of stuff, all of it clothes."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Had to guess all the sizes though."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Didn't know how big you were, just 'small'."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But you said humans need clothes!" they both cheered, Yuuma staring.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...You guys brought me clothes..?" She didn't remember saying that people needed them- she'd definitely complained about not really having anything but one outfit, but... "O-Oii, isn't that stuff supposed to be expensive though..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The shrimps shrugged. "Sure, we guess!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We guess so, but we have a lot of spare stuff to pay for things!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Loads! Alit doesn't know what to do with the winnings ever, so he just gives us a bunch!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hands a bunch over, says 'do something fun with it', and sometimes we do, but sometimes we don't know either!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So since we don't know..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And since you DO know..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The pair beamed, fans waving and mouths split open as they cheered. "We'll just use it for you!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Y...you both..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We've got loads of armor in here!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Lots of armor! Perfect for big journeys!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"All kinds of journeys! It'll probably fit?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe it fits."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You should try it all on, find out, find out!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn't help it. She'd barely known these two for hours, and here they were pulling out all the stops. It wasn't like the barians she'd met thus far- those doing their jobs, those who they had asked for help first. These two simply acted, and moved. Like they had with Alit apparently, like they had all their lives.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They saw, they moved. It was as if in thinking so much about others, they didn't think at all, and she laughed as she realized what it was about them that she couldn't be mad at.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn't that much unlike her, was it, she thought?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma laughed, and laughed, and the shrimps- the pair of them simply joining in, did not even mind at all. A chorus of laughter before she continued her meal- a meal that ended with smiles and grinning, and after quickly dunking her hands in the basin and drying them off, a round of trying on the various articles of clothing they'd managed to make off with as well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was no wonder, she thought, that these two were Alit's friends. If she had been able to give him even half a smile when they first dueled, then these two would have given him the sun itself with their cheer.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0066"><h2>66. Chapter 66</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>In one way or another, much of the basic clothing offered to her felt like wearing an oversized shirt. Some were even like dresses- explained as a 'fancier' style of the guard's uniform, or something like that. Over all, there was very little in the way of pants or leggings- they were there, but the shrimps had paused, squinted, and asked very seriously if they felt too warm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnhh...they're a bit warm I guess, but..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, right, you won't be here long anyway huh!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not long at all, the best way to the High Lands is a big round trip! Pine, Slate, High!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Pine, Slate, High, and the one in the middle is definitely colder! So I guess you need these after all..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right!" Yuuma looked between her options- there were tighter leggings, which she suspected were to mimic the look of certain other barians, and more familiar, roomy pants. She ultimately took those ones. Belting them was definitely going to be different, but...if she did it right, she could probably use her normal one, she thought.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hnnn...these things though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was the tunics that were harder to decide on. Yuuma had never worn anything especially dress-like; and some of the options there were very much so. Trying them on was odd- anything with too much of a sleeve was simply too strange to bear, and given she had the cloak anyway they were quickly put to the side. The normal tunics however, were mostly too long- ultimately, a small number of shorter ones were picked, the combination reminding her of the more comfortable shirts she usually had.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Compared to the rest, however.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma held up some of the armor, eyes wide. "Is this...really for me?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course!" Charyb insisted, Scyllis nodding.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course! You need to protect all those squishy bits!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And all the squishy is all of you! So you definitely need it!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You need it, but you need fast stuff," they continued seriously. "So we didn't look for the real serious things..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The real serious stuff is for when other cities try attacking, or beasts!" Charyb added. "...It'd be great against something big too, but you're all small!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're small, so what you need is more what Alit would use!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If we could get Alit to use anything!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked, already trying a few pieces on. Most of it was much the same- ultimately she was looking at her options more for the aesthetic than anything else as a result. For the most part, she was finding herself drawn to the flame-like patterns of a set of greaves, stylized and swirling upward in a manner that reminded her of the moons on her pants. There were arm-guards as well; she tried the shorter, forelimb focused ones on for size and liked those the best. Compared to the greaves they were simpler of course, scaled like the wyrm and layered with brass and red- but it fit right, and didn't get in the way of her wrist band on the one arm, which meant it wouldn't be in the way of her d-pad either.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ultimately it was the torso armor that had her pause, but...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hnnn...it's lighter than I thought..!" she exclaimed, twisting as she tried it on with the rest of the armor. The armor for the top was something like a shirt- it seemed feathered, even, each of the metal pieces glimmering under the light of the room. It was easy to move in- easy to bend in- and that was about all she could ask for.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That fact, was apparently exactly what the shrimps were waiting to hear. "Of course!" the shrimps cheered, standing immediately.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's the point!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And the point of armor,"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The point of armor is to test it too!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So hurry, hurry!" they cheered, standing by the door. Behind them all, Arkto simply rolled over and yawned- apparently still quite asleep.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hurry! Let's test it!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma, admittedly, took a solid minute to actually register what that meant. When she did, she still didn't quite grasp it- blinking as she looked forward.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Eh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wait...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Were they challenging her to a fight then!?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0067"><h2>67. Chapter 67</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>While Yuuma was having a grand day of events with the shrimps, Iris and Ka were, suffice to say, </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Initially when they realized the absence, they started a small man-hunt. Then, pulling Iris aside, Ka confirmed the mosquito's greatest theory.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma had climbed the gate.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Stupid!" she cursed, storming around the small corner of road that they'd found for themselves. "Idiot-ka! And what does she think will happen if her 'dueling' doesn't work! When I get over there..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, when </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> we getting over there? You said you had an idea?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suffice to say, Ka's tantrum was cut short.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She didn't say it aloud- neither of them did- but there was a lingering question of what they would do if indeed Yuuma had already left. Iris even seemed to have accepted it as a possibility- that she'd already gone home, not even saying a proper goodbye, focused so hard on the end of the goal. Quietly, Ka cursed her for that. More quietly, she asked herself why it mattered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But still. A plan to break through the gate. The pair didn't have the advantage of sneaking behind the guard in broad daylight, but given that it was always broad daylight they didn't have much choice. As such, they first needed to find somewhere to stash their pack. While Yuuma had been carrying it before they entered the springs, Ka had taken it after- the girl was obviously tired at that point, and ultimately after the incident with the Red Eye she wasn't especially keen on letting her carry the load. She'd probably drop something, she thought, and so she shouldered it instead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was what she told herself, at least.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The pack was hidden very well however- they found a niche within a wall, and from there were able to make use of the rocks themselves to hide the pack further. They would easily be able to pull it out afterward, Ka told herself, which left them with the task of sneaking in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By then, it had been a few hours easy...her patience was short, but she forced herself to stick to using her head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Alright. You- how good are you at climbing -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris blinked. "Me? ...Hmm. Well enough I suppose," Iris decided, shrugging. "Not the trick I expected from you though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka snorted. "What I have up my sleeve will be fine for me, but it'll save energy if I can do it for just me-ka. So if you can climb it while I distract the guard, all the better -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, she couldn't really argue that after all. Iris shrugged, but otherwise nodded. "Honestly I can do you better than that. You've seen me enter spirit state before- I can do it again, and they won't even notice." Hm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was true. Concerning enough for her to banish from mind, but absolutely true. With a nod, Ka therefore stretched and prepared herself. "Good. Then get ready to follow me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What she needed to do was be discrete. After having her fill of that wyrm, she couldn't say she had nearly the sort of power that working with Heartland had temporarily left her, but she could at least say it was a healthy boost. Energy practically scattered off her form as she shrank herself down, buzzing and meeting the air as a much smaller being. It wasn't quite as small as the mosquito had been- but if she kept near the wall, she could at least go unnoticed at this size.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For that matter, she'd easily be able to just slide between the bars.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Let's go -ka." Voice quiet, she took farther into the air, darting off along the wall. As expected, there was scarcely anyone near the gate to the Red Lord's palace. Iris was quick to follow after- the minute she had shrunken herself, the girl became the familiar red mote the air in the ashlands had been filled with at the village, easily blending in with the walls of the city as they flew.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spirit motes weren't a thing anyone in the cities of Barian had reason to become, after all. It was, for most anyway, a last resort.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Landing on the other side of the gate in the tunnel, she couldn't help but be envious of the way that Iris could use it however. The girl materialized in an instant, showing none of the grogginess that Bun had so warned her of when explaining her own time in that state. It was uncanny, perhaps.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But they had work to do. Nodding to the other they quickly set off down the tunnel, showing little reaction to the appearance of the palace around them. Impressive, certainly. But more importantly...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"....Feels empty -ka," the ninja muttered, looking around with a hiss. "...Ka! Isn't that just like her if she's gone! Good riddance then -ka!" she spat, wings buzzing against her back. "We do all of that, and she can't even sit still long enough to say a last word -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...It's her home, I suppose," Iris replied quietly. "...And she's impulsive after all. She..." The girl paused, and frowned. "...Hold on. ...Do you feel that?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka?" Pausing as well, Ka stood still for a moment and focused. Faintly, she could feel it. Just faintly- it was certainly someone's energy but... "...If this is a palace for  the barian lord -ka, then what the hell small fry..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris frowned. "No- think. We're right beside each other, aren't we?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Immediately, Ka clued in. "...We can't detect the other-ka..." Not that either of them didn't take more subtle routes when it came to their levels of energy, but the fact that they weren't picking the other up when they opened their senses for it was alarming in itself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If we can't catch the other while beside each other, then something here is dampening energy signatures- or at least the ability to detect them. So then, the fact that we can find this one..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, who else had a signature brighter than the sun? "Yuuma!" Ka took to the air, Iris running along from the ground. "That stupid girl! When I find her I'm shouting her ear off -ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes yes, it's truly a shame she's not left yet, isn't it?" Iris laughed from below, chasing the mosquito toward what looked to be a large stadium attached to the palace. "You'll have to meet her first though, I can't get in from this wall...I'll have to go through the building I think..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Easy enough," the mosquito replied, and as they moved their separate ways she growled. "Not like the thing has a r..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka trailed off, and for good reason. The stadium was massive- no seats for an audience, but certainly a large stretch of 'field' in which to fight. One could even see props and 'additions' at the side, no doubt to liven up the battle field.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What concerned Ka however, was what she saw. There below in her cloak, was Yuuma- pulling herself up from the ground, looking across the field to two barians. The barians in turn- massive, multi-limbed, and clearly skilled in combat, moved to charge and-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KKKKKAAAAAAAAAA-!!" Suffice to say, she dove at top speed. "YUUMA -KA!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh? Ka?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A few things happened in that moment. First, the twin barians practically vanished from sight, reappearing in front of her. In the same moment, Yuuma seemed to shout 'wait'- but the sound of the shrimp's own speed steps blocked most of it out, the ninja cursing herself for her uncharacteristic impulse. And then-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a crack in the air, and while the shrimps were at one side of the field, Ka found herself at the other- Iris conspicuously between them. Her hood still raised, her hands glowed with barite energy, and in the distraction Yuuma was quick to stand and shout.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O-Ooiii!! Guys!! They're friends!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Huh!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! Friends?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course they're friends! Look at that swoop and dive!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A swoop and dive, the perfect ambush!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But we're more perfect!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Exactly! More perfect!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While the twins made fast work of confusing the others, Yuuma fortuitously stepped in. Her hood down, something gold and brassy glinting from under the sleeves of her cloak, and a sigh on her lips. "Hahhhhh...man! I wanted to go find you guys, but you guys came and found me huh...How did you get in here though! Did you climb the gate like I did?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! Gate climbing?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Never tried gate climbing! We always go right over the whole wall!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ignoring the shrimps, Ka stood up and slowly walked toward the girl. A wide eyed, unknown look upon her face, as Iris as well stared incredulously. And then-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you out of your mind -ka..!!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma laughed nervously, and Ka continued. "What the hell are you doing -ka!? Sparring with barians!? You don't even fight normally!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's not really sparring!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sparring is trying to win! This is trying to escape!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Escape's key! Big things are too big to fight after all!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! But if you've got friends like this, maybe you could!" Charyb added, excitedly glancing toward Iris.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris merely smiled. "I'd really rather not."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohhhhh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohhhhh that's boring..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There's nothing boring about caution -ka..! And what happened to your Red Lord then, for that matter!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"My bigger question is what other barians are doing in here," Iris hummed, Yuuma still laughing and smiling as if nothing was especially wrong.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahehehe...Well...about that..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The journey, as it seemed, had far more time left for them to spend together.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka pretended she didn't feel somewhat happy for that, and instead focused on berating the girl for leaving them at the gates.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0068"><h2>68. Chapter 68</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"You have to go to the </span>
  <em>
    <span>High Lands</span>
  </em>
  <span> -ka!?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuma rubbed the back of her head, the shrimps eagerly sitting and watching the commotion- chiming in with their own two cents as well now that introductions had been made.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Or at least, as informative an introduction as could be managed with the rapid-talking shrimps. "It's where he's been called!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Called for work, like he needs any more of that!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh yes, I had a feeling about that..." Iris chuckled, hand to her face. "...He's 'Il Bolide' isn't he..?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ka! Anyone with a brain could put it together, the way the locals talk about him like he's some grand secret..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"EH!? Seriously, you guys knew!?" Yuuma protested, Ka merely groaning and bringing her hands to her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iris was truly the best one to handle things. "Mnnn...well, we figured it out at least. It's lucky that I already have to go to the Emperor's palace though, neh~? We can just keep travelling together~!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuma blinked. "Eh...you have to go there..? I knew you had to go somewhere ahead but..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Don't worry too much about it, neh?" Iris insisted, even while Ka frowned. "The important thing is that we'll be travelling as a group."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We may as well at least -ka! Figures, I think I'm rid of you, and I'm stuck with you longer!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Is </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> your biggest complaint..?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While Iris smiled, Yuuma outright grinned. "Heheee...it'll be fun though, right? It's been fun so far, hasn't it?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Mnnnn...not my words for it -ka..." But even saying that aloud seemed to give her away, and so she said little else even to herself. Instead she sighed, frowning. "I take it the Pine Lord is still flat out then -ka?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"The Pi...Oh! You mean Gilag..?" Yuuma frowned. “I guess we could try…” She supposed Gilag was an option but...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I don't know about that," Iris countered seriously. "If Alit was called, there's a chance the Pine Lord- erm, Gilag- was as well. It would be a bit of a pain if we diverted for each of the Lords only to find no one there each time."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"If Alit got called, the others definitely were!" Scyllis chimed in seriously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Definitely! We couldn't hear everything, but we heard enough!" added Charyb, the others snapping their attention toward the two.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Heard- Oi, what did you hear then -ka? Out with it!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well we were about to tell you right?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Of course we'd tell them, it's probably important."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Very important! The Slate Lord wanted 'all the Lords'- we haven't heard him ask for that for a few years!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Maybe ten years?" Charyb hummed, Ka narrowing her eyes while Yuuma blinked. "Before that, it was always that Nasch guy."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"The big guy! Haven't heard about him since..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"But since then it's been Durbe! That's his name after all!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We heard Alit say his name! He was real mad- asking why he had to come over for something as dumb as 'Astrals'."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Astrals can't get us here after all!" they laughed, Yuuma quietly clutching her robe. "So why bother?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Why bother, when he's got stuff to do here! But Durbe said it was super important!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Super duper important- said they got a change of plans, that they lost their 'human allies'."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"If they lost the human allies, that's probably when he went to your world, huh Yuuma?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's got to be when he went there! But either way, he wanted all of them together to figure out how to deal with the astral threat..!" Scyllis finished, adding a mockingly ominous tone to the end.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If the twins were aware of the tension in the room, they were doing their best to let the others cut it for themselves. It was ultimately Ka who spoke first, closing her eyes to nod. "Kakakaaaaa..." she 'tsked', shaking her head. "Then your instinct was right -ka," the ninja declared as she looked to Yuuma. "We'll have to go to the High Lands."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Mmmm. The best way to do that at this point if I remember the map correctly, would be to go through the Pine Lands for as long as we can, and then cut a bit through the Slate Lands into the High Lands. It should be simple enough at least...I don't know what it's like at all, but I've always heard it's safe to travel in there."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ka nodded. "They'd be right -ka. Anything I hear about the Pine Lands is that it's safest, for whatever reason."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh! We know the reason!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We do!" cheered the shrimps. "The Pine Lands have an army!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"A whole army, protecting everything they can!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The others stared, and Iris frowned to Ka.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ultimately they said nothing, simply nodding. "Well. Thank you for helping Yuuma at least," Iris insisted, smiling. "I don't know how we can possibly pay you back..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"If anything, we can't -ka. So don't expect it," she huffed, the shrimps simply laughing. "Now- Yuuma. Come on- ka. Let's get going so we can make it to the right gate by a decent hour."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You did get some sleep earlier right?" Iris asked, Yuuma nodding and standing as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Uh, yeah! Oh, I need to grab these though," she muttered, scooping up the few outfits she'd been granted and bundling it all together. Turning to the shrimps again, she smiled. "...Thanks, Scyllis, Charyb!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Awwww, it's nothing!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Nothing to say thanks for, just helping out!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Helping can be paid with visits!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Visit us when you finally come back, got it?" they insisted, Yuuma nodding furiously in turn.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Saying little else, the three thus moved to make their way toward the gate again in order to sneak back out, only for the shrimps to come up with a speed-step and a shout.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh! Wait though!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Wait, there's one more thing!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Eh?" Yuuma turned with surprise, blinking along with the others. The shrimps crossed their arms, nodding almost sagely.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Squishy girl like you, you don't have any claws right?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No claws, no hammers...no weapons at all!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No weapons is no good we say, so we've got something you can use!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Alit never uses weapons, so he won't care at all," they insisted, the others choking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You- Hold on, you're giving her weapons -ka?" the tallest of them choked. "There's no way she'd know how to use them..!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iris nodded. "That seems a little bit... ...Oh."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Words were cut short as the shrimps presented exactly one object each- identical in appearance, and yet small enough to perfectly fit over Yuuma's hands. They seemed to be brass knuckles- brighter than any earthen metal could manage, with clear blunt sheathes over two dangerous looking blades at the ends of the knuckles. A pair of trench knives, one could say-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But of course, to Yuuma- "Oh!! I can use those for climbing..!" she cheered, eagerly slipping them over her hands. "Wow...and they fit perfectly..!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Of course they fit!" The shrimps cheered, not even minding that she determined them tools.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They fit Alit, they'll fit you!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You're basically the same size!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuma looked over the knives, and then with a teary smile, looked up to the shrimps. Finally, with a nod- "...Thanks, you guys. ...I'll definitely visit one day again, okay? Until then...I'll make sure to tell Alit to say I said hi!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was no better way for them to part ways, truly. With smiles on any applicable faces, before slipping back for a pair of barians to carefully distract the guard once again to let Yuuma slip down and off. With smiles that refused to abate, even while unearthing their things from the wall, even while adding Yuuma's latest treasures to the pack, and even while taking the hours long walk necessary to move from the East end to the South.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then, only then, did the smiles fade.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The crowds at the gate were immense. Where the others had had one or two passing through and only occasionally, here it felt as if an entire mob had gathered. The gates- the inner city gates even- were closed tightly shut, no longer held open as the inner gates of the other pathways had been. Yuuma and the others stared openly at the sight, murmurs and irritated shouts muffling over the sea of barians while they stared.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What the hell is this -ka?" Ka cursed immediately. "Since when has there ever been a crowd this big..!?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They're saying they had to close up the gates for processing," one in the crowd answered, long leaves covering their form so completely not even the eyes could be seen. Their limbs were more akin to noodles with hands upon them, and they gave a lame shrug. "Bunch of barians all started showing up from all ends of the Gold Lands, even if it meant using the other gates."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They're saying the other cities are getting overrun too," another barian muttered worriedly. "It's an awful lot..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iris frowned, unable to stay quiet. "The Gold Lands? Why on earth would there be a swarm of visitors from the Gold Lands?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The barians nearest in the crowd paused, a few of them turning. Eventually one moved to speak, worry creasing their largely featureless face. Even with only eyes, the fear was clear from the long haired, onyx-formed barian. The gems of their blood red layered dress gleamed in dark hues according to their emotion, and with a shaking voice the fear was quickly passed on. "It... It's because they're not visitors," she whispered, rubbing her arms. "...These guys... Th...They're here to get out mostly, sure...but...I came here to wait," she admitted as she shook. "...My best friend was in Jin, messaging me with a crystal, a...and.."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well?" Ka demanded, an edge of fear creeping into her own words now. "What is it -ka? Get to the point!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman flinched, her scarlet eyes watering with similarly red tears. "...He was saying the lands were starting to sink," she managed weakly. The entire desert, all its cities...a massive storm struck, and..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just as she cut herself short, a rumble began in the crowd. First from far ahead, and then slowly moving back as sounds of incredulity and fear began to carry along. Until finally, one of the other nearby barians- their massive feathery antennae twitching while they paled. Dust scattered from their wings as they stepped back, looking to the group. "...If your friend was in Jin, you might be waiting for a while," they gulped, the others feeling themselves grow pale as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Whatever they expected to hear however, they could not have predicted what they said next.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"The Gold Lands just collapsed."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0069"><h2>69. Chapter 69</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>[?????]</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had felt as if he were moving a corpse.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As if he were a puppeteer in his own skin, forcing his lungs to move, forcing his legs and arms to do the same. He had known he was out of time long ago, but when the ship had crashed and Orbital had wrapped himself around in the form of the spacesuit he'd designed, it felt that way more than ever.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Orbital had known that. Known what strength it was taking just to keep his head up high as Mizael arrived, to keep his words from slurring as he spoke. He had known, and he had offered a final mercy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'<em>Kaito-sama</em>,' the robot had clicked in his ear. '<em>Let me take this for you</em>.'</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had so little time, to do what he needed. There was no one who would watch, as he carried the 'ritual' of the dragons forward. Chris would carry the message to Yuuma when they returned; this much, Kaito knew.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So they dueled. They fought, dragons clashing, as Kaito called out to Mizael to remember. Remember his life as a human who lived among dragons, a human who was more dragon than not, a human who had tried despite everything to help them even so.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To remember that life, as he collapsed. As he passed on the cards. As...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'<em>Can you tell me what happened...next time we meet..?</em>'</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Kaito...'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The duel finished. The duel finished and his helmet was cracked. He was down on his knees and then on his side, body unable to even move without violently shaking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span><em>'I couldn't let him watch,</em>' he breathed. His arm shook so horribly as he held the card, but this was the last thing he needed to do. '<em>The power to reach earth..</em>.' Orbital could do one of two things. Either broadcast through the atmosphere, or keep his master alive, as long as he could. He could not do both, and Haruto would never know, not until Chris told him on his own.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And so Kaito breathed as Mizael stood there, eyes watering while the card was passed toward him. As he had told him, he had never fought for the dragons first. They had been tools for helping his brother- a power borrowed, a power that led him here.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were Mizael's Dragons, and always were meant to be. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'<em>Follow the path you believe in</em>,' he whispered. To the golden and silver blur that was Mizael, before the view was blocked by a final warning from the helm. Before his body stiffened, the vacuum of space closing in at last through the cracks that were now opening in the suit, angrily pulling at any oxygen left. Leaving nothing. Leaving nothing...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In under fifteen seconds, his eyes had closed. He did not see what happened to the suit, did not see what happened to Mizael. All he could think, was that desperate hope that things would be alright. That his brother would be alright. That Chris would be alright. That Shark, that Yuuma...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma, who was still an unknown. Had he killed them? That young optimist, who could harbor no ill will? Who could only trust, trust painfully, even if it got them killed? Had their trust in him...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>......</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>.........</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was falling, he realized. He didn't know for how long now, of why, or where, but he felt as if he was falling. Which was...odd, wasn't it? He had thought he...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...He didn't know what he thought actually. He couldn't even see his hands, his body...he knew he was falling and nothing more, and whether he was even seeing or not was in question on its own.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was something he wanted though, he thought. Whether his eyes watered or not with that thinking, it didn't matter. There had been something he wanted, so badly. Something he needed to know, needed to do, needed...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>.........</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>......</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It felt as if he had been...pushed away, somehow...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...but somehow, holding onto that thing he needed, that thing he didn't remember, he couldn't worry about that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then again...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...He wasn't sure he could remember anything at all.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0070"><h2>70. Chapter 70</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They sat together at a table, in what was some sort of rest-stop bar.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When news of the collapse of the Gold Lands had struck, the crowd flew into panic. How could an entire country just sink into water? How could it disappear? How many of the barians there had even survived? Too many questions, with not enough answers, and ultimately all that they could ask was how they were even going to get out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A flaming barian- literally on fire, with heated and hardened rock for high boot legs, and otherwise molten gleaming 'earth' for the rest of their body- had been the one to tell them of another path. An old one- a tunnel between the two capitals that had been there for a number of decades now, even centuries. It had fallen out of popular use when the roads between the two regions were established- most barians preferred movement beneath the sun if they could help it, finding the dark stifling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But that didn't mean the tunnel wasn't safe. In fact, provided they moved before everyone else got the same idea, it would be the safest yet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Safe, but slow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They sat at the table two weeks later, hoods pulled over the two who had them, as a PineLands Television blasted from above the bar table far across, bringing news that most could never have heard in all the existence of the Barian Realm, but news that they were not sure they wanted to even hear. The TV looked much the same as the one that had been in Maremana's cafe- the image of a news casting station was surreal however, and Yuuma couldn't tell if it felt more, or less 'normal'.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>On the TV, the barian- masked face strange and even toy-like, with protruding eyes and a squared painted snout- managed to convey nothing but absolute severity despite how they appeared, eyes staring forward as their head tilted just enough to shadow part of the expression.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'</span>
  <em>
    <span>While it appears that the vast majority of the citizens from the Gold Lands Region have survived by escaping into dust, millions are now displaced as the entire region, in one instant-</span>
  </em>
  <span>'</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At the start of things they didn't immediately enter the tunnel.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No, first Ka made the decision to stop by a textiles market- fabric wasn't too much cheaper here, but in vast, unprinted sheets at least, they could manage. For that matter, the shrimps had left them at an advantage- not long after gathering their things they'd slipped out from over the wall again to give a 'better good-bye' in their words. When they heard they were taking the tunnel route- a route where it would be impossible to seek out food if they somehow ran out- they had quickly scooted back and returned with plenty bundled and ready to go.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just in case, they had said. Just in case, it was better than having not enough.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So they had the funds to spare- or at least Ka claimed they did- and with those funds they soon had what would become a makeshift tent.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A tent would make things easier. A tent would mean they could let Yuuma sleep, surrounded by the supplies, and simply claim that the entire structure was the pack, that they were sitting for a moment. A tent would mean some privacy, and it was in the privacy of the first day or so walking, that Yuuma had finally asked what was on her mind since the mutters at the gate.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...What did they mean by 'collapse'?" she finally asked, looking worriedly to Ka and Iris. "...It's a country, right? It's too big to just..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While she trailed off, hoping for the others to agree, she somehow knew that they wouldn't. Iris had an expression of visible conflict upon her face, chewing her lip as she looked up to Ka. And Ka, for her part, was nothing short of stoney and cold.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...We can't be too sure -ka," she said after a moment. "Collapse could mean plenty- maybe their kings and queens finally lost control-ka, or maybe there were quakes at the cities. The way they said 'collapse', it sounded literal enough..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris nodded, but her voice wavered with uncertainty. "...What's worrying is that they said 'collapse' at all...if it was just the cities, they wouldn't be at the gates so quickly; Cor Ignis is </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> far into the Red Lands from the border. The only way to get here that quick is if you have the ability to speed-walk, teleport, or..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl swallowed, and Ka narrowed her eyes. "...Or as a mote-ka." Before Yuuma could even ask, she explained. "You saw them in Iris' village. Those red 'sparkles', like fireflies right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma nodded. "Yeah. You and those old guys turned into them," she added with a look to Iris.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Iris nodded in confirmation, Ka continued on. "Those are motes. And most don't take that form if they can help it -ka. I haven't...but Bun-chan, she has. And she said it took everything she had to get out of it -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As she looked suspiciously at Iris, the girl hummed. "...It's been 500 years, give or take a decade," she replied casually. "...You pick up a few tricks. ...That's not the point though," Iris admitted, "...what Ka is saying is that more than likely, something forced everyone to enter that state through emergency. It's possible to willingly enter it, but if I'm right, most enter it entirely by accident," she explained, Ka nodding in reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To that, Yuuma merely swallowed. "Then...what kind of thing... ...If the whole place..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...They say that the lands reflect their lords," Iris cryptically replied, her voice quiet. "...But if it's to this extent..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In the bar, the TV carried on. The bartender and owner of the rest-spot, a large, practically 'soft' seeming barian who walked upon many sapphire encrusted white tentacles with a natural bodice around their top and middle, continuously glanced back to the thing, chewing at the lower lip that so few of her kind had. Nervous and anxious, the squid-like barian forced her eyes shut.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>On the screen was nothing but water. Red, churning, and even steaming. Far in the distance one could barely make out the dusty pink sands from the edges of the Ashlands, and somewhere off to the far side there was even a speck of dark red from what few areas of Red Lands bordered there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everything between it, was water.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'</span>
  <em>
    <span>As you can see, everything considered part of the Gold Lands has disappeared- while primarily landlocked, it appears as if what little came in contact with the Sea of Ill Intent is now entirely comprised of that water- the resulting ocean is entirely acidic to the touch, and drawing too close carries similar cases of resent, depression, hopelessness,-</span>
  </em>
  <span>'</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The bartender sniffed, dabbing at her eyes with a small cloth she kept at the side. "Aaaahn...when I started this place and turned that thing on, I didn't expect to hear nothing but tragedy...what kind of disaster is this..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At the table, the girls could only nibble at their food and sip at their drinks, heads ducked down in thought, fear, and confusion alike.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just a week ago- a week into the journey, and they had been unable to cast aside the questions of what had happened. Unable to cast aside the questions of what was being broadcasted now. "It'll be fine -ka," Ka had insisted stubbornly, the group setting up camp yet again. It was difficult to tell just how far into the tunnel they were, but it appeared at least that the stone had started to change. Where the massive cavern, large enough to house buildings Yuuma was sure, had started out in rusted red rock of the same material from the capital's own stone, it was now starting to blend with a dark green- almost black- rock as well. As if the stone had been bleeding into the Red Lands, they were coming upon the material of the Pine now, or so Ka determined. The dark, dark green that formed most of the forests it was known for...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As they sat there, Yuuma swallowed. "...When you said the 'lands reflect their lords' though... ...if it all collapsed like that, does that mean something happened to Mizael? ...Could it..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you care -ka?" the mosquito countered. "Mizael was the one you avoided, wasn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma guiltily looked downward, unsure of what to say for a moment. "...Mizael... ...Mizael was the one who attacked Kotori and I at the Duel Lodge... ...he was the reason Shark had to go to the hospital, and Kaito barely stopped him... ...but... ...even so, when we were in Sargasso, he dueled without even using the same cheat the others did. He fought Kaito as if they were the same, and..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If the two recognized matters such as Sargasso, they didn't say. Instead, Iris pulled out the large world map and clasped a hand over Yuuma's shoulder. "...Let's not worry about it too much right now, neh? We'll focus on where we're going, and not where we've been. It shouldn't affect us right now."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Exactly. We can figure out what happened after we get where we need to be -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>On the TV, their greatest fears felt as if they were being realized. Even a week ago, they hadn't understood what collapse had fully meant. They knew something had 'devoured' the lands, and forced its people to flee in droves. They knew it had happened in an instant. But looking at this...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'</span>
  <em>
    <span>People everywhere are now asking- "Could this happen again?" At this moment, the answer is unclear. Increases in chaotic storm activity have been striking the Red and Pine Regions almost non-stop over the course of the last two months without rhyme or reason, but this is the first time that a storm has appeared so quickly with such dramatic results. More news to come as investigations unfold.</span>
  </em>
  <span>'</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The TV moved from news of tragedy to casual news about rain-storms in the far south Pine Lands, and still finding herself with watering eyes, the bartender came by their table. It was such a stark contrast, Yuuma couldn't help thinking, compared to the way they had been introduced. As they had come farther into the tunnel near the end of the second week, they noticed more activity- more importantly, they had noticed lights.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Built directly from the hide and bones of a great wyrm-like beast, were buildings it seemed. Buildings bored into the walls themselves, as if eaten and caught beneath the earth. Their doors were simple flaps of fabric, reminding Yuuma of the noren from her own hometown. It was the symbol of a steaming mug that had caught their eye- and upon passing under they had been greeted warmly by the squid-like barian, her head topped with the triangular 'cap' so associated with them, and her 'hair' formed of as many tentacles as she had for legs. Clouded teal decorated the white as if it were porcelain, and just as gently, she offered them a table and a meal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had not taken long before they, like the bartender, like the remaining patrons in the building, found their eyes upon the television.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had not been long, before they were watching in shock, horror, and quiet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you finished with your plates?" the barian asked them politely, looking to Yuuma in particular. Placing a warm hand upon the girl's shoulder with care, she added- "...I am so sorry for the news...it's hardly anything someone your age should be watching...if there's any favorites you have for dessert, how about I treat you?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma thought to herself, that the answer should be yes. It should be- a free dessert would be perfect to lighten anyone's mood. Instead however, she shook her head, the bartender nodding and taking her hand back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I understand. Well...if you ever come back this way, don't be strangers alright? There's always a table in 'Hotaru's', alright?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Yuuma nodded again, Iris glanced to the side- her eyes unable to look away from the corner of the room, even as she spoke. "It's alright, neh? You couldn't have predicted what we'd be watching right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka snorted. "Ka! In the living world, there'd be channels- but seeing how these things didn't even exist until this year -ka, I'm surprised we have a speedy news source as it is..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While the squid- perhaps named Hotaru, they thought?- nodded, Iris finally pulled her gaze away from the side. "If it's alright, we'll take our bill now."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh yes, of course," the bartender quickly answered. "It should be about..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma didn't pay much attention to the discussion of pay for the food. It wasn't a whole lot all things considered, but then again they hadn't ordered much either. If anything, she was the only one who had had a snack at all, the others settling for tea. Within moments they were on their feet, and heading back to leave through the noren-door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right- let's get to it then -ka, from the looks of the map, we have another week to go..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Another week..? Mouuuu, it's going to take us ages to get to Nasc-" Yuuma choked, hurriedly cutting herself short as Iris loudly coughed and elbowed the girl in the same moment- "That guy's place..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A lousy cover, but from what all of them could tell, it didn't seem they'd been heard. Sighing, they walked out as Ka shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Take it or leave it -ka. At this point I'd rather be taking this trip than going back," she admitted with a grumble. "...I might even send word to Bun-chan, tell her to take a trip...I'd rather trust these areas to stay put than the Ashlands -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Conversation carried on, dwindling back and forth with their nerves as they carefully made sure everything was secure and stable in the packs. Straps in check, the group set their eyes ahead and started moving once more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If either one of them could feel the eyes watching and following from inside the bar as well, they were not saying so.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not until they were as far away from 'public eye' as their stalkers seemed to desire, at least.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0071"><h2>71. Chapter 71</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The farther into the tunnel they walked, the more it seemed the ones beside her grew tense. The tunnel itself wasn't that dark- the veins in the rock lit it continuously, albeit here in green rather than the red and muddied mixture caught between. By the time they had reached the rest-stop in fact, it had been far more green than red, casting everything around them in a sickly light.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The farther they walked, the tenser the others became- but before Yuuma could ask if something was wrong, Iris gave a shout.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"DOWN!"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"HAH-!" Tugged roughly by the girl, Yuuma choked as she fell forward- a burning, acrid smelling blast of energy passing overhead to disappear into the dark.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ka! Been wondering how long it would take -ka!" spat their mosquito guide, standing almost protectively before the other two. As Yuuma pulled herself up with a groan, Iris had already righted herself- dropping her own pack and slipping her arm under her cloak for something as the sleeve went slack in turn.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Still groaning, Yuuma idly noted that her hood had fallen off- but she was very soon unable to think about that. With a screech, Ka's claws snapped at another blast coming forward, the energy dispersing as she cursed.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mannnnn...and here we thought it would be boring..." Their attacker- one of them at least- drawled. There were three- and all three bore the same armor, Yuuma realized. It wasn't like anything she had seen before- not in Cor Ignis, not in Jin. Their tops were adorned with a breastplate bearing spikes like fangs, a short cape of deep violet upon the back. They bore gauntlets upon their arms, and bands of gold at their shoulders, moving with organized purpose. For their lower armor they bore skirts covered in plates- plates the same dead, lifeless brown as the breastplate, with the only other colour a bone white from the fangs of the top, and the side plating at the side.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>And, of course, the violet banners hung beneath the skirt of armor.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>There was something in their eyes though Yuuma thought, watching as the three soldiers, uncaring that their middles were unprotected, uncaring that they had no weapons, confidently walked forward. Something in their eyes that said they were not even human at heart. The one at the front, ringleader that he clearly was, cracked his knuckles as he sneered- his entire face split into rocky 'teeth' that opened back near to the ears on his slate and spiked form, ears almost blending into the various rocks that jutted from his back- rocks that came out from his elbows, and his heels as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They had said nothing more than their first 'greeting'. Only walked forward, chuckling all the while. The bastardization of a canine, running a spiked tongue over the 'teeth' of his mouth. The 'anteater' at his right, practically a walking blot of jade with stones of gold along their head and back like a personal crown. The 'dragon' at his left, crimson and rusted, spikes aplenty upon their head, back, shoulders, and beyond, their long neck holding their height beyond their leader's own.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>But they did not strike just yet. It was clear that they had the advantage- and that, perhaps, was why they were now willing to take their time.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you want?" Ka asked lowly, Iris studying them with care. She knew them, Yuuma realized, eyes widening as she stared at the girl. Iris looked to them with a mixture of fear and rage alike, the hood fortuitously hiding her expression from the ones across from them. "Got a bone to pick -ka? Planning on a grand heist?"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The chuckling grew into laughter, and raising a clawed hand the slate barian 'grinned'. "Oh, nothing like that...something's just been bugging us, that's all..."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The 'dragon' now smirked in turn, looking over the three. "Whatever you've got there...it'd be a bonus though, I'm sure."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"But what we're interested in..." The anteater's snout moved like a tentacle, brushing briefly over their own brow-gem and then moving to point toward them as they tilted their head. "...Would be your heads, actually..."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Even Ka had to stiffen at that. They had been quiet. They had kept things close. But there were plenty now who knew- so had it slipped? Had something-</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?" Iris challenged, and the minute she spoke, the trio's grins- at least where there were mouths to grin with- widened.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"See that's the funny thing," the ringleader chuckled, the sound a rattling rumble. "When we first saw your lot, we didn't have a clue who you were! But then the more we looked, the more we got this feeling..."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He crouched down, and the others did the same. Ka began to shift her stance, and Iris slowly shifted to move in front of Yuuma.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"<em>That whatever happens if we kill you, we'll be REALLY happy..!</em>"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"YUUMA! RUN, NOW -KA!"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"H- WHAT- But you-"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"DO IT YUUMA!" Iris screamed, and immediately there was chaos. Though Yuuma found herself unable to disobey, she could not find a way to carry out her flight either- with a jerking sway from the anteater barian came a churning rumble, a series of rocks tearing through the earth and shooting behind the three. It formed a great wall, one which nearly skewered Yuuma on the spot, and with a yelp she fell back to look toward the others.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Ka had been the one to move first- catching yet another blast of energy as it was thrown, only for her to be forced to screech and duck aside as the red dragon went for her with his very teeth. Narrowly avoiding the loss of an arm her eyes widened, the mosquito immediately brought to the defense.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Iris however gave a feral shout- and as her hood fell back, her cloak was slit near in two, the sound of metal catching stone meeting the air. Stunned to silence and immobility both, Yuuma gaped as the fabric fell away from the blade that had cut through it. As claws scratched against metal until both sides were forced back, the leader somehow laughing even more now at the sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a change that bought Ka time enough to jump back from the teeth and stone of the other two, the pair turning to see what had been seen.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning, and staring with wide eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"I knew it...I knew it!" the barian laughed, Ka glancing back toward the rocks blocking their way and hissing. "That face...it's too young, but I know that face! The face of the queen!" he laughed, Yuuma turning.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Q...Queen..?"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"A case of mistaken identity, nothing more," Iris snapped in turn, blade held ready. The trio of soldiers howled with laughter, momentarily halted in their fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is that what you're calling it?" the canine cackled. "I remember that face! The one that sailed toward the ocean in sacrifice, before the gods tore apart half our fleet! And with that sword even!" he howled, the sound soon losing its humored edge. Now, the other barians were ready to get <em>serious</em>. Now, Ka realized, they would have one shot to get away from this properly.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>And unfortunately, it involved trusting Iris with everything they had. Her hands hidden from sight by the position of her wings, she slowly began to breathe- pulling in as much energy as she could muster as she looked above the trio of barian soldiers. Taking out the entire tunnel couldn't possibly be done. It was massive after all, far too massive and she hated it all the more for that. But she could make use of the stalactites, she told herself. If she got just the right shot, they'd create just enough chaos...</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ka?" Yuuma asked with a swallow, the mosquito not yet looking to her. "What is..."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Keep quiet -ka," she hissed, voice as steady as could be managed. "And let her handle this."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuuma looked all too unsure about doing that- she swallowed, and looked between the packs, the rocks, and Ka as well. She looked to the tunnel behind the barians, and to the way they now leered at Iris. How could they get out of here, without a fight?</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The answer was they wouldn't- a fight had already started. Then, what could she use...what could she do? Something occurred to her in that moment, as Iris held her sword forward and waited to strike. Something that had happened the last time she had been in 'another world', or at least between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Back then, monsters had appeared. Real monsters, not AR.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>And back then, the way they'd combatted them...</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"...D-pad...set..." she whispered, Ka glancing to the girl incredulously.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"K- What the hell are you doing -ka!" the mosquito hissed, "This isn't the time to-"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just trust me..!" Yuuma whispered back, pulling out her gazer as well. "..Gazer, set..."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>She had no numbers any longer, but she had normal cards- and if she was right, then at the very least...</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>...Ahead of them, the trio were still focused on Iris. And Iris, still focused upon them. The girl's sword reeked of another world and time, steel glinting under the green light just as much as the ivory, gold, and emerald upon the hilt. Iris' hair fell loose behind her, and her childish eyes were sharp.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"It is," she had answered the barians. "The one you speak of was dead before I knew anything of war, or death. What you see is the face of someone taken as consequence," Iris continued coolly. "Someone who happened to catch the eye of a marauding 'King', caught in his grief."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The three had howled with laughter, and sparked with energy. "Then," the leader had sneered, "I suppose the sword of the King is coincidence too..."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"What 'King' do you follow, hm?" Iris' question gave the three pause, and the laughter stopped. "You know he's gone. They're all gone. More than 500 years...you can't tell me you've been following a ghost can you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tch! All we've been following is our instincts," the barian countered, spitting to the ground. "And our instinct...IS TO KILL YOU!"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>With a roar he charged, and Iris moved in a flash. Yuuma, her hands sorting through cards, choked at the sight as light blew up within the air. Steel impossibly cut through 'stone', and choked cries came forward as the others charged in their rage. Iris moved as a master would- as a true warrior in battle, rather than a child felled by any arrow. "So much the same!" she taunted them, snarling her words. "All that you knew- Move, attack, kill! But I haven't lived as long as you by doing nothing!" she roared, the blade sinking into rock and cutting through energy as it shined. "Dead or alive, I won't sit still for you soldiers of a king whose world is only RUIN!"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"IRIS!" Ka shouted in that moment, Yuuma setting a card upon her D-pad. "GET BACK -KA!"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl turned but briefly- the barian of slate on the ground limp, the one of red already grasping painfully at their throat. They did not bleed red, Yuuma noted with quiet and dissonant notice. The horror of the sight was distorted, shifted but slightly by that fact. Iced blue, brilliant orange, and an even brighter gold- all molten colours stained the blade, and the anteater-like one snarled and charged even with the mortal injury to their side.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>That was when Yuuma made her summon. "GANBARA KNIGHT-!" she shouted, the psuedo-AR being launching forward the moment she made the call. First as a wave of red dust, and then as a fully formed figure, it stood between Iris and the charging barian- but rather than point their shields toward the opponent, it held them upward, a shield against something far worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"See if you come back a second time -ka," the mosquito spat. And in that moment, with the sound of a mere crack, her patience and quiet manipulation of energy paid off- a single blinking moment of red all that could even be seen to indicate she’d done something at all. Above, the sharp and deadly rocks cracked twice more, thrice more, and finally began to fall. Crumbling down in an instant, spearing whatever they hit. They bounced harmlessly off the shields of the knight that had been summoned, and as Iris stumbled back with wide eyes from beneath the sturdy protection, the final shouts of the soldiers cut sharply short.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>And for many moments, there was only silence. With a sigh of relief Yuuma fell to her knees, a wash of fatigue striking as the monster faded from being. All three of them could do nothing as they sat there- as the summoned stones behind them sank back into the earth, and they were left entirely in silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, it was Ka- still warily looking toward the pummeled and motionless barians now slowly eroding to dust, looking to Iris in her torn cloak and otherwise pristine tunic- who spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's leave before anyone else shows up -ka. The less explaining, the better."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They all gathered their things in silence, and left without a word- Yuuma casting one last nervous look to the nearly dissipated corpses before following after the others.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0072"><h2>72. Chapter 72</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>With all that had happened, they had much to talk about.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Following the fight they had walked in silence for as long as possible. The packs regathered, hoods replaced- Iris in particular looking like an odd, hooded bandit in a cape given the torn nature of her cloak. Very briefly, both of them had cast a lingering stare over Yuuma's revealed face- but it was brief, and the hoods replaced, disguises once more secure as they moved.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By the time they had properly stopped, it was only because Yuuma felt ready to collapse. Even then, she was not so ready that she could not participate in the talk they were about to have.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I think," Ka started once the makeshift tent was erected, easily pinning cloth and pack against the wall's tube-like indentations, "We need to ask what your business with the High Lord is -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh. You don't have to if you don't want to," Yuuma started, Ka immediately glaring at the girl in turn. Yuuma ignored it, potentially not even seeing it. "Those guys attacking was kind of scary, but..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris held up a hand, and Yuuma stopped. "...Don't," she sighed, looking toward Ka. "...Hah...what a joke, that this would come up right after I told you off for this same thing, neh? I tell you that keeping quiet gets people killed, and here we are in the same situation..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Hardly the same," Ka grumbled, Yuuma looking between the two in dazed and sleepy confusion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh...what's not the same..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"She thinks I know something about that Red Eye lot. As if, -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You know enough about something similar to be worried," Iris corrected, blinking when Yuuma cut in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe we should all talk then. We'll each share what's important!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The two stared.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...That's a nice thought Yuuma but..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"As if you haven't already told us everything you know -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aha...W...Well I can think of something probably..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's not really..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Fine, whatever. You've convinced me -ka. ...I'll... go first then."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The pair stared with surprise, but quickly moved to hide the look- it wouldn't do to get Ka riled up right after she'd caved. The mosquito looked at Iris for a few more moments longer before speaking, and when she did it was quiet. Quiet, and Yuuma noticed, without even blinking at her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Yuuma -ka. Do you know what Vector looks like?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl tensed. "Eh? ...What do you mean, of course I do! He's mostly grey and black, with wings, and..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He's locked to his own throne -ka. ...And if you've met him enough to see what he looks like under it, then that's recent." Yuuma went quiet as Ka continued, the mosquito studying Iris' own response.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Locked..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka nodded. "Chained by cord and armor, and right over the front is where I saw it -ka. A big, red- well, more 'pink' really -ka, but-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That..!" Yuuma choked, and Ka at last turned to face her. There was silence for just a moment- an expectation for the girl to explain- and Yuuma shook. "...I was wondering about that- you guys kept saying 'Red Eye', but..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris blinked. "...They called themselves something different then?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...What did they say to you-ka..." Ka's eyes were narrowed, and Yuuma couldn't tell if it was with concern or with worry. "...What did they say?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Mostly, it was weird stuff. About how I didn't have 'sight', or something... ...but...they asked if I heard of the 'Rose Eye'- that was when you stopped them, I think..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rose Eye. Ka turned her head away, looking visibly shaken. "...Rose would be closer to the right colour, -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But what would that have to do with Vector?" Yuuma questioned. "If he's stuck on his throne-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...There's more to this isn't there?" Iris added with a swallow. "...You wouldn't be this nervous if there wasn't basis...and this entire time, you've been more careful about even me when it comes to keeping Yuuma hidden."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It isn't as if I expected people to have a direct connection-ka! And if we're going to stay alive, we'd better hope that still isn't the case!" Ka snapped, quieting quickly. Shaking but slightly, and taking in a deep breath she didn't properly need, she continued on however. "...He has...some kind of power though -ka. That much is obvious. Whether it's something all the Lords have or not -ka, I wouldn't know, but given the Red Lord was able to leave his palace that much is different at the very least."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnh...why would he suddenly be chained up though..?" Yuuma murmured, frowning. "Why..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't know -ka. I know he set me up to lose one of your duels," she snorted, the others blinking curiously, "But that's just about it. When I took the job to deal with you -ka, it was through an old coworker. Someone who had only died recently, but worked close enough to the lords to be of merit-ka. His name isn't important, but-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AH...You mean...Heartland!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka wheezed and choked, and Iris merely frowned. "...Heart...land..? Is that actually a name..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah! He's the guy who was always on TV or announcing stuff in Heartland! But more than that, he's the reason Kaito had to do what he had to...why Droite, and Gauche..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, he's rounding out to four again -ka, how unsurprising," Ka muttered, the curious stares returning. "Ka! Whatever. That's all hardly important. What's important is that he found me, he found his other two, and he offered us the job."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma grew pale. "Then...Semimaru..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eugh. You fought him -ka? Be glad you're alive, if it wasn't in cards you'd be goo," she huffed, ignoring Yuuma's unease. "This shouldn't be news -ka...You knew I was the reason you were here, so what did you think that meant for the ones I associated with? We weren't friends-ka, we were cohorts in crime, and all of us would have thrown the other to the gutter if it meant getting out alive..." Ka trailed off, eyes distant and fixed upon the wall. "...Heartland sure did..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The two others swallowed- and Iris pressed to continue. "...Then, what was the job exactly..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Technically, each of us were to duel. It wasn't an outright order obviously -ka, or I wouldn't be here, but we were given a card and a chunk of power with it. Deck, D-Pad, all of that manifested. No gazers needed -ka, and you can guess why apparently," she added with a glance to Yuuma. "The monsters were perfect, I'll admit. Good fit -ka. But the idea of leaving things to a card game..." The mosquito snorted. "No offense to you, Yuuma, but we can see why I was so hesitant- in any other type of fight, you would have lost <em>easy</em>."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma couldn't help but shudder at that, while Iris grimaced. "...So this 'Semimaru' person was to duel Yuuma," she confirmed, Ka nodding. "And the other?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Someone named Ryoga Kamishiro -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah- so Kurage, the jellyfish guy..!" Yuuma choked, while Iris blinked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Semimaru, Kurage... ...Ka, were these two a cicada and a jellyfish? Are those even their real-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka stared, and dryly so. "Unbelievably enough, yes, -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhhhhh...their names really were..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not the point..! In any case, I was told more specifically to investigate the whereabouts of Kaito Tenjou- the one Heartland had under his employ at some point, <em>apparently</em>," she added, glancing back to Yuuma as the girl nodded. "Ka! Well. Investigating was easy; and it was easy enough to see how I could avoid a duel for that matter too. The rest is history -ka, but what I'll cover now is my last meeting with the one <em>above</em> Heartland."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Vector..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris swallowed. "...How did you know he was the one in charge?" she asked. "If this 'Heartland' was the one who approached you..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Approach is a bit loose -ka. It would be more accurate to say he summoned us to him; we were one place one moment -ka, the next in a massive room with the throne right in front of us. And Heartland, in all his wax-faced glory, was beside the throne. So I knew who he was taking orders from-ka. Because of that, I knew where to go after I got what the real goal was. Vector wanted 'numbers'-ka. His emphasis had been that if we won, we bring those to him. Therefore, I brought him the deck -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma knew this. It was clear that she was trying to remind herself of that, but hearing it aloud did not help matters.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once again, Iris was the one pressing for more. "...So then the red eye- the...'rose eye'," she 'corrected' with a pause, Ka nodding in reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right over his chest. It's where the card went when he took mine back -ka. Along with any power left; I was able to use some reserves for a few weeks after -ka, and then from there had to go by air. The ones in the cloaks...they said they 'knew' me-ka. You knew that. And now you too," she added, looking to Yuuma. "So..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...so...the 'rose eye' has something to do with why Vector is chained up like that..?" Yuuma frowned, and then chewed her lip. "...I don't get it. ...I don't get it at all. You say a big rose eye, but the only one I can think of like that was Black Mist..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hm?" Ka blinked, and Yuuma swallowed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"He was one of the 'Numbers' cards- but Astral couldn't keep him on our side. ...I... ...don't think he was ever on our side, I guess. ...He used Barian's Force on himself, and grew into this big, winged thing with an eye right here," she added, gesturing around her middle. "It was a pinky red, so..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So they're connected," Iris finished, her expression conflicted. "...It looks like this is where I come in then, neh? You've said all you can, haven't you?" she asked, Ka nodding slowly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...When it's out like this -ka, it seems like nothing... It turns out none of us really have any answers at all -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris smiled wryly, but nodded all the same. "It seems like it, doesn't it? ...I don't know about this 'Barian's Force'," she began, sighing. "But I do know Vector. Or at least...I suspect I do. ...Yuuma. You said you saw the Barians in the human world, right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh?" Yuuma blinked, and slowly nodded. "Y...yeah. I-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What did Vector look like? ...I know you haven't seen Nasch. I suspect you haven't seen Merag either," she added, Ka frowning at the name. "But you've mentioned every other barian lord, including him. So what did he look like?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahhh...he was maybe about my age? He was kind of short if I think about it," she laughed weakly, coughing. "...Um...he had purple eyes though, and red hair- it went like a weird diamond, so he had to have a weird D-Gazer..!" she gestured, trailing off as Iris bowed her head. "....Iris..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...That's him then." She sighed. "...I wonder why though...if he looked your age, that means the Barian Lords all appear much younger than they should be..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Somehow -ka, I don't think that's what's important here," Ka countered with narrowed eyes. "First you have words for the High Lord Nasch- now, you're saying you knew Vector, <em>personally</em>. Who was he to you -ka? What did those barians we just killed have to do with it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Yuuma flinched at the words- she was still trying to get over the sight of those deaths- Iris smiled weakly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Personally is putting it a little too heavily I think. At the time...well, you see what I look like now. I wouldn't have been more than 7, you know?" She sighed- an almost wistful sound, closing her eyes. "...I suppose...that's why I believed in it all, for so long. You know by now that we don't get any 'older' if we die young after all. We can learn, and remember, but there's a part of us that remains a child. There's still a part of me, I guess, that wishes she stayed in that village and waited, like a 'good little girl'."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...What <em>are</em> you waiting for..?" Yuuma asked, watching as Iris' smile faded, and then returned- still sad, and still small.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She didn't answer immediately. When she did, it seemed as if she wasn't answering at all. "...I have been in the Barian world for a very long time," she began, her voice scarcely more than a whisper. As if she feared even the walls would hear her, the quiet betraying her smile. "I told you this, didn't I? 500- more than 500 years even. I have been alive longer than any of the Barian Lords have <em>existed</em>," she whispered, only to pause. "....Or maybe... ...most," Iris corrected. "With what I know of the Queen after all..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...The one the soldiers mistook you for -ka?" Ka stared, her suspicions clicking together as Yuuma watched the two in confusion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris for her part was motionless- a stone, pretty well, reciting a tale she had held close to her heart for a number of centuries. "...The Queen was dead before I was. At this point though, she is also the only one who matches the description of the Silver Lord- the only woman among the Lords as a whole, and the 'sword' of the High Lord, 'Nasch'. Nasch... ...is also the name of the King of the Poseidon Islands, which had been nearly destroyed before I met him."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She had their attention. There were no interruptions, only stares, a silent audience to allow her to carry on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She almost wished they wouldn't. "Some time before I met the King of the Poseidon Islands, they were attacked by a fleet of ships from the armies of R'lyeh. A seafaring empire to rival Nasch's own, they were led by a king who had usurped his tyrant father's throne only to become even worse than the man before him. A king who killed his own parents, and executed anyone who dared speak against him. That king, who fought against Nasch, was named <em>Vector</em>."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma's eyes widened- more than with just surprise. There was something else that Yuuma knew, something that she was aware of, and Iris could tell.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka however, simply looked on with shock- they knew by now that the barian lords all had some form of past. How could they not after all this? The confirmation of Vector personally however, was a strangely separate matter. Both, in their own way, knew what Vector was like. Inhuman almost, a league beyond the humanity as displayed at the very least by what they knew of Alit, by what Yuuma had seen of Alit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That he had been a real person, more than 500 years in the past, was strangely difficult for them to swallow, perhaps.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It certainly was for her. "Vector's armies fought Nasch with overwhelming strength. From the stories of Nasch's armies, he had even summoned the god of the ocean to his aid," she explained, Yuuma's eyes as wide as saucers now. "They were losing- and soon would have lost entirely- but then the Queen allowed herself to enter the grip of the god, and from there, fall into the water. She gave her life to pacify the rage of the Ocean- and furthermore, another goddess appeared to beat him, and Vector's boats, back into the depths. She sacrificed herself and gave Nasch a win- but Nasch could not stop at that."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris' fists clutched tightly at her gown and torn robe, and she breathed deep. It was not a practiced story. It was not something she ever expected to share.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And now...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Nasch gave himself time for a funeral, and then immediately gathered what soldiers he had to make chase... ...And Vector," she choked, "While being chased, therefore laid waste to everything in sight. ...My village...my family, was one such place he struck down, all because he<em> could</em>... ...but that was where I met Nasch." Iris sighed, forcing herself to breathe easy as she looked up- first to Ka, and then to Yuuma. "...That was where I met the man who claimed I looked so much like his sister, the dear departed queen. I didn't understand it then. The whims of the powerful, the grieving...what do you think would have happened, neh? If I had looked entirely different?" she asked, a brief and wry smile on her face. "...Perhaps I would have lived a long, healthy life. ...Perhaps I would have starved right there. ...Instead, many weeks later, Nasch and his army set camp outside of a fortress that Vector had holed himself in. All signs pointed to a siege being impossible- but when I passed their tent, all I heard was 'The King has gone to battle alone'... ...and I, a fool, ran to find him..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris trailed off- staring off to the ground with watering eyes, unable to keep from bringing a hand over her front.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She could remember it, after all. Remember... "...a battle began... ...led by the King's trusted foreign knight, all the soldiers went to battle, while a child ran among the boots and spears...and before I knew it, I was on my back," she whispered, turning her eyes back to Yuuma at last. "...Struggling to breathe, to move..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I...Iris..." Yuuma started, her own eyes watering as well. "You..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris looked to Ka now, wry smile still upon her face even through the tears. And while Ka looked back, expression unreadable, the girl spoke. "...Do you know why the villagers people call themselves 'human', Ka? ...It's because we're <em>cursed</em>," she whispered, eyes narrowing momentarily as the water gathered too much to keep from overflowing. "They said it in Aurum, remember?" Iris looked to Yuuma with that, and with those very words Yuuma recalled the sea-dragon barian from the Almond Arrow, a chill passing through her spine.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'There is a story that we have, from close to the time of the Barian Lord's establishment- of a lost colony, a cloud of spirits unable to leave into the next life.'</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Y...you..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once again her eyes were on the ground, and the tears flowed like rivers. "We did not arrive here like other barians. We didn't get to 'start over', gaining memory over time. We <em>woke</em> here. With our injured bodies, burned or torn apart- we woke in a barren wasteland of sand, left to pull ourselves back together on our own- other barians there were few in number, and those we saw reacted with as much fear as we did. Some, perhaps, left and adapted in other ways...but us..?" The girl sniffed, slowly wiping the tears away from her eyes. "...For a group of people like that, joined eventually by a handful of others waking up the same, watching as the world suddenly grew and constructed itself around us, what could we think of everyone but as 'demons'? Not all of us agree to that at this point...but it's exactly why that village exists the way it does. We woke up...we had no purpose except to exist...and all anyone could think was 'the King will come'," Iris whispered lowly, tone darkening with each syllable. "'Wait. The King will Come.'"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris quieted, and for many moments more the others were silent. Eventually however Yuuma moved to sit beside her, her hand over Iris' own. "...Iris," she began quietly, holding the girl's hand tight. "...I'm sorry. ...I'm sorry that all of that happened...that it's been so long. I..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So that's what you meant -ka...when you said you were tired of waiting..." Ka stood- and though she didn't sit beside the pair, she at least seemed to move closer as the girl looked up. "Ka! Your patience is practically a demon on its own -ka! More than 500 years?! And it took this idiot to change your mind?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn't help it. A small smile broke over her face, marred only slightly by sniffles. Yuuma as well grinned, laughing at the words. "Heheheee...a lot of bad stuff happened with what you did, but it looks like something good came too, huh, Ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Don't twist it into that!!" she scowled, Iris ducking her head as a larger smile came over her face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The laughter continued, and after a few moments Iris managed to wipe away the last of her tears and sigh. "...I said all of that, but much like Ka, it feels a bit like most of it was just pointless, neh..? ...So much of it doesn't make sense at all, or at the very least, it's hardly relevant to you," she added, looking to Yuuma. "...Those soldiers... ...as they said, they weren't following Vector. ...No, it's obvious they weren't. They just saw my face as a ghost of the past, just like Nasch did. ...I..." Iris swallowed. "...With what you've said, I almost wonder what the point is. If the Barian Lords don't remember their lives..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course there's a point," Yuuma insisted immediately, catching the others off guard. "...Even if he's forgotten...that just means we have to make him remember, neh? Make him remember there's a whole village of people waiting for him! So we'll do that together! Just Kattobing, 'neh'?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To that, Iris stared with wide eyes- and ultimately smiled once again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kattobing..." She nodded. "...Right. Thank you, Yuuma... I..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What a stupid word..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girls broke immediately into laughter once again, filled with chokes and coughs from earlier tears as Ka rolled her eyes. It would undoubtedly be a while before Yuuma fell asleep now, but at least with this they could say most weights upon them were finally removed. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0073"><h2>73. Chapter 73</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>As they continued making their way through the tunnel to the Pine Lands, the mood slowly began to lighten once again. Having removed the most tense, the most unfortunate matters of topic from the air- or at least the ones any were willing to talk about, in Yuuma's well hidden case- but then in her case perhaps it was less that she had hidden the matters well, and more that the others with her weren't willing to pry.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Indeed, there had been something about Iris' tale that the girl had recognized. Something more vital than when she had caught matters in Ka's own story, and said as much. But whatever it was, it was past the point of asking. The wounds were still fresh, torn back open from where they had been closed for so many decades, and they needed time to heal a little more before revisiting.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So instead, they talked of other things. As the walls slowly began to appear more and more vine-filled and cable coated, the veins of glowing rock replaced with what could almost be called neon, they talked of the cards that Yuuma had brought into reality- of things Yuuma had seen in the past, of a sea between dimensions, of monsters made real. Questions of what it meant if cards were beasts, of cards manifesting through no power save their own, and many others that could not be answered filled the hours of free time they had whilst walking, and eventually ahead they could see light.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And not too long after, they were thrust into it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What- What on earth -ka..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The moment the sun began to beat back upon them, Ka was looking behind the group in shock. Choking at the tunnel, and at the region around them, as Iris and Yuuma followed suit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I knew the tunnels went into the cities -ka, but this..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...That was practically seamless..!" Iris protested, looking around the railings that came out from 'cables' and rock within the tunnel to the city around them. "There isn't even a check-point like at the end of Cor Ignis..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhhh...everything looks almost like it did for the whole last week too," Yuuma noticed confusedly. "Even that lady's bar..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma trailed off, not wanting to think about what the bar now brought to mind. It was very easy to avoid however- the city itself was distracting, and not simply because of how alien it was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was also, after all, <em>modern</em>. "This place looks more like somewhere from the <em>living</em> realm-ka!" Ka choked, and Iris sputtered as the people around them began to catch their notice- bringing even more confusion into things.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The city after all was one thing- the rock seamlessly became concrete and metal, shooting upward into skyscrapers touched with Japanese influence, spotlights amid electric paper lanterns, cloth curtains and paper screens accompanied by locked metal grate doors and paved asphalt roads. The rooftops were steel resembling tile, with antennas and cables connecting it all. There were lights as far as the eye could see- signs calling out wares, railings and pipes for protection and transport, stairs and bridges connecting or leading upward to apartments, department stores with fences separating property as 'mascots' were mounted outside and cranes lifted new material upward-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had been one thing with but one television at a time, but here it was impossible to ignore and the people only added to it. Much like in Cor Ignis, many barians were clothed- neither more nor less than in the Red Lands, but with the sheer numbers of barians around it was ever more emphasized. What was odder however was the twisted appearance of so many of them. Many of course had the typical, 'alien' appearance to them. Animals, insects, plants, and stone- humanoids who were no longer human, but somehow recognizably so.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But for one in every three it felt like someone was trying something else. Barians with horns but human faces. Barians with no faces and only a grin, on an otherwise human form. Those who were mostly beast, with a human expression upon them. They mixed and blended their own traits as if it were a form of clothing in itself, and Yuuma was stunned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka, less so. "...they're all so disgusting..." she muttered at a near whisper, Iris unable to help but look up in amusement.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma's voice pulled both from whatever conversation they were about to have, the girl reaching for her hood. "They... ...No one cares," she started to say, a barian with a face hidden by their hood to allow only horns and the glow of their eyes through passing them by. "...No one cares what anyone looks like at all, I could..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AHhhh... Y- Yuuma, I don't-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Yuuma if you're recognized-!" Ka started hissing, only to look up. Immediately, her fear moved toward matters of another sort. "...YUUMA-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't even have the same haircut..! No one's going to-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"YUUMA LOOK OUT!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris' cry was just too late, as were their rush toward the girl.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The next thing Yuuma knew after all, something had crashed into her from the air so hard that the hood was coming off whether anyone wanted it to stay on or not- leaving her out cold and lightly snoring as her travelling companions panicked over the one-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The <em>two</em>, rather, laying prone on the ground now.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0074"><h2>74. Chapter 74</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Ahhhhh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All things considered, things were not the worst they could be. Indeed, Yuuma had just been struck down by 'something'- but really, given it was more of a 'someone'...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I thought barians weren't supposed to appear in the cities!" Iris cried, the two quickly rushing over. Yuuma had wandered a good distance from them in the short time it took for them to be stunned by the city surroundings- looking behind at the tunnel entrance, it looked more akin to a gate in itself, rising out from a massive temple/skyscraper off from the mountain. They had known the tunnel passed through the mountains between the Red Lands and the Pine Lands- the tiny, tiny sliver of territory still technically known as Slate, which were otherwise impossible to cross save with the connecting road above. To see that this end of the mountains looked more akin to a fully fledged city-scape rising up along the side as far as could be seen was...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Odd.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>More than that however, this in itself was odd. Ka grumbled as she pulled off the infant barian that had abruptly crashed into Yuuma, unceremoniously dropping them beside the girl. "Ka! They're not. Not that I've seen too many fall, but everyone who's brought it up has always said the same thing. They fall outside the cities, and find their way there."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris peered over Yuuma, sighing. "Well at least she's alright, but I can't carry her <em>and</em> our luggage like this- and don't tell me you can take everything either, that's far too awkward," she warned, Ka grumbling in reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Just because it's awkward..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahhh...Perhaps you young ladies could use some help? Even if both younger and older than this old man here..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A local had apparently spotted the mess, but as to how the others had missed him, they soon saw easily why. There were many odd barians in the world as a whole. Iris certainly hadn't seen many, but she'd seen enough over the many years of occasional passers-by, and Ka for her part had done far more dealings within the Beneath of Aurum than most would care to handle in all their lives.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This one took the cake, however, and largely due to the trend they had already seen from just a few of the bustling crowds around them. The barian stood tall upon four long, spindling legs, their body round and clothed in a sash-style robe tied and pined simply so. Two more legs reached from behind to move forward and act as arms however, the barian's actual arms comparatively small and humanoid, held against his front. And then there was his face- human, despite the many squinting eyes, with a long beard and moustache to match. The balding barian stared, and after an awkward moment of silence Iris stammered out a reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Um- Y- Yes, that would be wonderful, thank you..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka was quick to follow in recovery. "I take it that's your place behind you -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, it is now," the barian hummed, casually moving to scoop up the infant barian first and then after no protest was received, Yuuma as well. Each was easily held within one of the longer arms, and he slowly turned to stoop down at his store entrance. "I can explain once inside, but it's quite the adventure these last number of months, truly...the entire last year has seen so much change, we can't even keep up..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka and Iris traded frowns at that, but otherwise gathered up the packs and followed in. The building was 'small', but only because of the barian owner's own height- it created just enough of an illusion that the mosquito couldn't even <em>look</em> annoyed, a spark of interest even in her goggle-like eyes as she looked over what wares were offered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was not quite accurate to say that it was technology- the objects within the store front looked to be trinkets of some kind of anything, various little gear-punk mechanics put together with care and hand. Puppets, clocks, and even small trains could be seen, of varying degrees of familiar and alien. Objects that ran upon crystals, hovering- objects that ran upon nothing but their own perpetual spin, going around and around. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They soon moved past the storefront however, up a large ridged ramp that curled around to the next floor up. Simple cloth hangings acted as the door there, and they found themselves within a simple living room. Ka in particular recognized it as something more akin to a traditional washitsu- it even had matts of thickly woven jade grass upon the floor to mimic the expected tatami, with lines of charcoal between them. Whatever possessions the barian had were undoubtedly closed off by the other curtains- but before he set the two in his 'hind' arms down, he used his smaller ones to reach behind them and pull out two cots.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're quite prepared..." Iris observed, watching as the man set up the cots. "How often does this happen?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka nodded- while she would have typically leaned for more suspicious questions, it was fairly easy to see that the barian before them had no ill intent. He was likely only a few years 'older' than her in terms of undeath, reeking of someone who had little energy to waste on ill intended acts.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The old man set the two on the cots, and moved back to sit and explain- light streaming gently through the 'paper'-glass window. "More often than it should in the last half year or so, I can tell you that much. It's safer to be indoors, not that most of us pay mind to that. Being struck by a new barian at least is relatively rare even with that in mind, and it isn't as if the Pine Lands have ever been particularly violent..." He trailed off, catching Iris' look of confusion from beneath her hood. "Oh..? Have you not heard of the reputation here?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A shrug from the taller of the pair, as Ka sat in her usual squat to rest. "We've been travelling from a good ways out -ka; we knew Cor Ignis was safe, and that the Pine Lands had a reputation at least, but nothing more than that."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris nodded. "At the very least I didn't think it meant there wasn't any..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh!" The old man laughed. "Well, that's my own fault then...I wouldn't say there isn't<em> any</em> after all. There just isn't much of it- there have certainly been skirmishes and beasts, but within the cities themselves most troubles came from natural disasters, actually...well, I suppose in itself what we've been dealing with for the last year is a natural disaster too. You've noticed the city?" The girls nodded, and in turn so did he. "That would be what I'm talking about...though oh, we should probably wait for your friend to wake before we go into that...the little one is one thing, but your friend at least would understand right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka looked as if she wanted to argue that, but Iris merely nodded. "That's not a bad idea. In the meantime we can wait for her to come to, if you're alright with that."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course! Though it'll probably be longer before that one wakes," he pointed out, gesturing to the infant.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Said barian barely even stirred in their sleep, practically curled in the long tail they'd been graced with. Ka eyed it with a particularly long stare before scoffing, even rolling her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! As if they'll be our responsibility anyway...but I don't have issue with you using up two cots -ka, it's your house."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Haha, well thank you for the reassurance at least..! Now...you came from Cor Ignis, through the tunnel?" As the two nodded, he beamed. "Excellent, excellent...then you two won't object to a tea? Or...hm."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he stared in Ka's direction she chuckled, clearly enjoying her usual existence as a source of confusion. "Kakakakakakaaa...Just prepare a mug, and you'll see what happens -ka..~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! Well that's wonderful then...I couldn't be sure- experimenting with how one looks has become quite the trend here as you can see, but I couldn't be sure how accepting of it the Red Lands were..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris hummed, studying the barian for a moment. "Well it's certainly a lot different here...I don't think anyone even wears their human form in Cor Ignis, let alone blends it with their actual appearance..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka nodded. "It's certainly <em>interesting</em>-ka, I'll say that much..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A small 'smile' came her way from Iris, the girl 'beaming'. "Yes, it'd be very rude to think anything less wouldn't it, neh~?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahahaaa...don't worry about hurting this old man's feelings, hm? I know it's new, and new things can take a bit to catch on...like clothes and food right? And speaking of that..." He stood, moving for the ramp. "I'll be back with tea...my kitchen came in beside the workshop, instead of beside my living space, it was such a let-down..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girls again shared a confused glance, but otherwise didn't question it. Instead they nodded and watched the barian leave, left alone in the silence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...'Interesting' was it..?" Iris hummed, a little more overt in her thoughts on Ka's clear distaste.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's disgusting is what it is -ka. The two things aren't meant to mix, it's like looking at a horror movie. It's already weird enough seeing you all 'human' down here- you're just covering up the truth -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is that what you thought in the living realm? You can't have looked like this there..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka!" The mosquito snorted, but ultimately scowled, caught on the fact. "...Hardly -ka... ...but I'll admit I didn't mind it. Even had enough in me to give myself claws while there -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And yet you're like this..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Wearing human skin down here is entirely different -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Apparently not to these people. Yuuma might not have the wrong thought in mind. I was worried as well but..." Iris trailed off, looking toward the girl. It was subtle, but a few more changes had most certainly come in. Aside from the pointed ears, she had definitely developed sharpened teeth and nails more akin to claws, and if she was right, there were the faint beginnings of markers on parts of her skin. She couldn't be sure without taking a closer look however, and that would involve asking Yuuma about it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For now, it would probably be better not to draw attention to that suffice to say. "Hmn. She does look different from how she was when in that world... ...even got a little taller, the brat."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahaha, has she? I suppose so, I haven't really noticed...You pay attention to that sort of thing a lot though, so I have to believe you~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mn. Well." Iris leaned back, twisting some hair around a finger. "Thanks to those clothes she received from the twins, that should help even more... ...I suppose in here at least, it would be easy..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka nodded, even if only slowly. A look toward Iris, and another unspoken question came forward.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I think I'll keep my hood on a little longer though, if that's alright," Iris said with a smile. "As we've seen for ourselves,<em> I'm</em> even more recognizable than her."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yet another nod, and Ka sighed. "Well, she'll be less insufferable about it at least -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's the spirit..~!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! But the minute something seems off, it goes back on -ka!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes yes, don't you worry..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chatter continued more casually from there, a light breeze playing at the window as they studied the two sleeping across. It would probably be a bit before they could leave, but after all the walking in the tunnel they supposed it was fine.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Five minutes wouldn't hurt anyone, and as they found out not long into them, that old man could brew a pretty good tea as well.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0075"><h2>75. Chapter 75</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When she awoke, she could feel herself laying on something soft. It was much like most of the cots she'd experienced thus far in her travels across the barian world- woven 'glass', tightly formed until it was a fabric mesh in itself, strangely soft and comfortable to the touch. She could hear behind her the idle chatter of the others- talking over their map, the sound of clinking clay on the air as tea was sipped.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What she saw first, however, was something entirely unrecognizable and yet not at all. From where she lay upon the cot, there was another barian laying directly across her on another one. They were small- not small enough for her to think 'infant', despite that being the very term other barians would use. To Yuuma, it was more like looking at a young toddler- someone about three years old perhaps, pudgy and bean-shaped with round cheeks where such a thing could be seen.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The 'where' was key after all- as with other barians, they were entirely inhuman, but Yuuma couldn't help but find something familiar about the inhumanity of this one. Their long tail, longer than their very body, was scaled and lizardlike, the scutes thick and navy in hue along the back and top of the tail. The underside seemed comparatively bare, as did much of the barian's skin where it could be seen. A brilliant robin's egg blue, shining dully under the sunlight. The barian had no mouth- their dragonic legs were curled tightly against themselves, and with the tail wrapped around them their head practically blended in save for that uncovered face, the scales upon it crested into a helm. If there had been wings, Yuuma thought, or accents of red, she could even have thought them like the 'Galaxy Eyes' dragon...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But it was all blues. Blues, with the occasional stone of green-yellow, so Yuuma cast the thought aside. With a stretch and a yawn, Yuuma sat up, taking in the room around her. Still somewhat bleary eyed and drowsy, she found herself making the first observation she could think of.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Grandma's tea room..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Eh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"PPFG- KA! KAKAKAKAKAKA! Close, but you couldn't be farther -ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Does it look that much like a room you've seen at home? Really?" Iris questioned, Yuuma rubbing her eyes while Ka laughed. Soon enough, she found herself waking more properly- taking in the details that set the room apart from the room from her actual house and bringing up the better question for her to have.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah...Yeah, it looks a lot like it actually! ...But where is this then?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris answered first. "A shopkeeper near the road let us use his loft room while you were out. You were hit by the arrival of that one there," she noted, pointing to the sleeping barian.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The little one barely stirred, tail twitching only slightly. "Oh, I see..." Yuuma blinked, words catching up to her brain. "AH- W- Wait, they crashed into me? Is that what you're saying..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Head on even! I guess that answers if their impact gets softened -ka, given that you don't even have a broken nose..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Just hearing that had the girl rub at her own, blinking rapidly. "Mnhh...it stings a bit but that's all..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well that's at least good to hear...we have a bit of planning to do as it is- actually there was something they wanted to explain about this place when you woke up, so this is good timing," Iris hummed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah? ...What about that guy?" Yuuma asked, looking back to the child.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka stared. "What about him, -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well...where's he going?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To this, both of the others shrugged. "He's a new barian -ka. He'll sort himself out."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Normally barians land outside of the cities for that reason; they can get themselves onto even footing and continue from there. I don't know how it's being handled here though...I can't imagine it would be easy..." Iris' words were clearly filled with curiosity, and slowly, both she and Yuuma looked to Ka.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! What!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well...is it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What's that supposed to mean -ka?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris shrugged. "Well, you already know how<em> I</em> came here," she replied vaguely, unable to keep her expression from falling with the very mention. "...But that doesn't tell us much about the average barian.."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rolled eyes were their reply, Ka merely sitting back. "Is that all then -ka? What's there to say; I woke up small and big-eyed, and wandered around the trees in the ashlands for a bit until I ran into Bun-chan. She helped me get my footing -ka, and the rest is history."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So you <em>did</em> get help from someone then!" Yuuma started, Ka scowling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't you finish that thought -ka! We have too much on our plates to risk taking a new one along and you know it!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I have to agree with Ka on this one Yuuma," Iris sighed. "I can understand the feeling but... well, ultimately they normally get no help at all at the start as it is. Waking up in here should be fine for them, whenever that happens..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As stares turned to her again, Ka once more shrugged. "Don't look at me -ka. As if I knew how long I was out on arrival..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmmm..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I guess you're right..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Yuuma looked back to the barian, the sound of odd, almost drawn out scuttling sounds, met her ears. The source soon made himself known, ducking into the room as the girl's eyes widened comically in turn.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The barian only laughed. "Hahahaaaa...I had a feeling that would be your reaction..! So you've woken up then..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took a moment, but Yuuma quickly regained the wind in her sails, surprise traded for a grin. "Yeah! ...It didn't feel like I was hit by a person, but I guess that's what happened!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hah! You're pretty enthusiastic about it aren't you...it's been happening a bit more as of late, but getting struck by a new arrival instead of just watching one is something in itself..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh? Is it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The old man laughed more, and slowly made his way across the room until he was at the window. There, he lowered himself to the ground to sit, beaming at his guests. "It is...you're quite young aren't you? It's difficult to tell here, but you have a bit more spark..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh?" Iris stared. "...Is it harder for you to catch that?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With the wave of a hand, the old man explained. "It might not be obvious to you, if you've been travelling together so long that it's become background noise...but compared to other regions, Souko is <em>filled</em> with chaos right now. You noticed the city limits, right?" he asked, not waiting for an answer. "It's grown! And it's been growing for a while..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"G...grown?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you mean 'grown'-ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Exactly what I said! The city- all of the cities in the Pine Lands in fact- have been growing at an exponential rate for the last half year!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhhhh..?" Yuuma stared, while the other two simply gawked. "...How does a city grow..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnn...well..." The spider stroked his beard, humming. "It's just a guess, but I have a feeling something must have happened to the Pine Lord..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! What the hell kind of thing would happen to inspire literal city growth!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey," Yuuma asked, "Is it really 'literal'? The city just got bigger on its own?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A nod from the old man, and his tone grew severe. "Oh, more than just that. The buildings, the technology...all of it, bit by bit, has simply come out from the stone itself. I mentioned to you two that a kitchen came in down below didn't I? That's how it's gone everywhere. And it's so fast, that the safest place for anyone to be most of the time is...well, inside a room! The city is adding, not subtracting."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was quite a lot to take in, suffice to say.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>First of all- "Th...the city really did grow on its own..?" Iris choked, eyes wide.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"K...how the hell are we supposed to navigate -ka..!!" was Ka's hissed response, or at least a voiced thought to herself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And Yuuma, of course, found herself stepping right into the one thing she could be smart about.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O...Oii, is this that 'Lands and Lords' thing..?" she asked, leaning forward on her cot. "Did something happen to G- to that guy..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Their only answer to that, was a shrug. "It's quite the question of the age, truly...all we know is that it started, and not why. Only a little more recently, a fairly incredible 'company' cropped up as well- 'BaraMe'- they certainly integrated themselves well, but it's hurting business...oh!" While the three stared, the spider quickly coughed. "You don't want to listen to me grumble about that though... ...my point after all, is that the city itself is the biggest danger we have. People end up swallowed right into places..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhhh..." Yuuma stared, and slowly looked back toward the sleeping barian on the other cot. "...But then if we leave him here..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh?" The group looked back to the old man, staring. "...I suppose I could keep an eye on him, but..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...But?" Iris pressed, blinking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Well, I can't be here all the time...I'm a little worried about what sort of person they might be when they wake up. For that matter, that one's got no mouth, right?" he added, continuing without pause. "...He'll be a strong one, that boy...assuming he's even just a little boy!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before Ka could snap something about the matter, Yuuma beamed. "Well then...we<em> have</em> to take him with us, right? Just until he wakes up!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Y...Yuuma, I don't think..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma was not going down without an argument. "If it's just until he wakes up it shouldn't be a problem right? And then after that, we can explain stuff and let him leave! And this way, nothing bad happens!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnn...well, I suppose that's a good point, and we are in a city, even if it's 'alive'..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! The fact that the damn city is alive is reason enough not to -ka! We'll be looking out for ourselves as it is!" For all that Ka protested however, Yuuma stared. Stared with the same sort of look she would try when hoping for the last sweet bun at home.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The difference was that this time it seemed to possibly be working.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kakakakakakaaaaaaa...<em>Yuuuuuuumaaaaaaa</em>..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I can't just leave him behind..! If it was me, I'd definitely want to see someone when I woke up..!" she protested, expression serious. "...Being in a strange place...with no idea where you are, or what happened, after something bad happened too... ...I don't want that to happen to someone else!" she shouted, the other two both freezing. While the old man looked with a smile, the others traded looks. For Yuuma after all, the context was an entirely different matter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>One that their host could not possibly guess.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka caved.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Until he wakes. And that's all -ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yosh..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ohhh...you have this old man's gratitude, truly...I would have looked after him had you three refused, but it's a great relief to know there'll be someone present no matter what." The old man slowly stood, still smiling. "...In return, how about I gift you something to help carry him? You three seem to have quite a lot of luggage...you must be travelling far, hm?" While the three simply nodded, the spider made his way back down the ramp. "Excellent, excellent...I'll be right back then..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He disappeared, and the others looked back to Yuuma. Once certain they were alone, Iris frowned. "...Yuuma...about..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Don't say another word," Ka grumbled, looking to the side. "We all know what she's talking about after all -ka...so fine. We'll look after the brat until then -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Yuuma's grin faded briefly, it did not stay faded for long. In the end she merely beamed, looking back to the child. "Great..!! ...Mnh....I wish I knew their name though...it'd make this easier..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! He probably won't even know his own name -ka, it's one of the last things anyone remembers."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"EH!? Really!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While Iris stared- this was a matter she didn't know at all after all- Ka shrugged. "There's a reason most Barians change their names -ka. By the time they remember the old one, they've claimed something else for themselves. Only natural-ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahhh...then we need to think of something to call them for now after all, don't we..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh...Is that actually how it works?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe something like... 'Photon'...Or Phouto..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka-! Are you comparing that brat to a duel monster card..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"EH!? Ka, you know about Galaxy Eyes!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris sighed, resting her head on one hand. "I assume he looks like one then..? I wouldn't know..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh! Like Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon, sort of..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! All I know about that monster is that it's too damn big -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mouuhhh, you would say that..." Yuuma muttered, not quite cluing into the fact that Ka shouldn't have likely ever seen or heard of the beast.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If you ask me, we should just keep calling him 'Brat', maybe it'll stick..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, are we suggesting names now?" Iris hummed, giving Ka a dry smile. "If I must suggest anything, I would say becoming a scaled dragon of some kind is worthy of the name 'Cadmus'..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehhhh, 'Cadmus'..? I like something with 'Pho' more...'Pho-kun'...'Phoji'...Mnh, or maybe Phouta..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kakakakakaaaa...At this rate, you should go with 'Pho-nii'~ Kakakaka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"EH- Ph- O-Oiii!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahhhh...we're going to be waiting a while aren't we..." Iris sighed, refilling her tea-mug with the pot that had been provided.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At least they could spare the time to relax for now, she supposed.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0076"><h2>76. Chapter 76</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Relaxing could only last so long. Ka only briefly unrolled the map they had of the full Barian World- fortunately large enough that they wouldn't need to fuss over if the city matched or not, and instead focus simply on which direction they needed to move in. "As long as we move in the same direction -ka, we can get out of this damn place before any of this 'growing city' nonsense causes problems -ka. Right now, we're here in Souko, capital of the Pine Lands. Our goal first is to get outside of it; preferably toward the east -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris nodded. "At the very least we can be sure that the tunnel exit brought us out through the mountains, rather than taking any detours. The mountain range is only on this side as well- so as long as we take a direct path, we'll be fine."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At that point, the map had been rolled up. "We'll plan more precisely later -ka," Ka had said when Yuuma questioned why. "It was one thing when you were going to Cor Ignis, but now..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnh. In all of my time here, I've never heard of a single soul living in the High Lands," Iris said quietly, the sound of steps coming up the ramp again. "...Keep where our final destination is quiet- in fact, don't mention anything farther than Slate."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka nodded. "Even Slate is touchy...just stick to 'outside of the city -ka, it apparently makes enough sense..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm?" The old man had returned at last, coming around the doorway. "What makes sense? This old man's ears didn't form very well..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Without missing a beat, Iris answered. "Oh- we were looking at how best to get out of the city for now. The hope is that things can settle down and stop growing after a while of course, but for now it just doesn't seem like a very good place to be settling down, neh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aaaaah." The spider nodded. "I see, I see...I can't say you're wrong, it's one thing when you already live here but...hmm. Trying to start fresh, at this point that's a good way to end up stuck with that BareMe group," he muttered, huffing. "No way for a start-up to last at all! You'd be better off in the smaller cities right now, far less volatile..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! It sounds to me like we'd be better off setting up shop outside a city if anything -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HAhaha, a very traditional response!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma cut the conversation short, looking to what was held in the old man's hands. "Oh- Is that what we can use to carry Koushi in?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm? Did you just pick a name <em>for</em> the poor lad..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kakakakaaa...well, I'm sure he'll complain enough about it when he finally wakes up, so until then -ka, if she doesn't want me calling him 'brat'..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yuuma, I thought you wanted the 'Pho' sound in it..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh, it wasn't working at all though, nothing felt right...But this one does!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Dear me..." The spider wheezed a bit, reaching out with the bundle. "Well- this is enough fabric to form a sling," he explained, unfolding the fabric. "And this...is a ring you can use to hold it in place, understand?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka peered over, standing up with a stretch. "Seems simple enough -ka. You're going to be handling this by the way," she added, looking to Yuuma.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh- did you think I wasn't..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The mosquito merely stared at that, and eventually took the fabric and ring. "Well, I'll leave you to this then...I assume you're planning to leave soon, given your earlier conversation after all!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A series of nods was the response. "Mnn. It was a nonstop trip through the tunnel, but it'll be a bit easier to relax once outside of the city it feels like," Iris offered in excuse.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>More nodding came, this time from the old spider. "Indeed, indeed...in that case, this old man wishes you luck- have a safe journey, and I hope you find a good place to settle."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Turning to walk back down the ramp, Yuuma quickly shouted back her own final word. "Yosh! Thanks, oji! I won't forget you!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahahaa...well aren't you just a charmer!" The spider's voice soon faded, and from there it appeared they were truly left on their own.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Looking back to Ka, and then glancing at 'Koushi' as she was apparently going to call him for now, Yuuma nodded. "Right...Let's get him strapped in..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm, this tail is going to complicate things a lot now that I look at this..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It ultimately didn't take too long to sort out, but Iris' comment nonetheless drew a bit of nervousness on the matter all the same.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0077"><h2>77. Chapter 77</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The sling was fastened after a bit of awkward fiddling around, and ultimately Yuuma looked quite burdened indeed. "Are you sure you're alright with this?" Iris asked skeptically, eyeing the pack on the girl's back in addition to the young barian himself. "He was quite heavy..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma simply beamed, nodding. "Yup! Barely weighs anything!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm, that casual -ka..?" Ka frowned, but ultimately said nothing else on the matter. "If you say so -ka..." They suspected, ultimately, that the good spirits Yuuma was in was due to the lack of a hood. As soon as she'd been told she was free to go cloak-less, she'd not only thrown the cloak off, but made sure to immediately pull on some of the clothing she'd received from Cor Ignis as well. She wasn't wearing the armor, of course- that seemed silly if she was honest- but it was over all an impressive change, even if the dueling gear had to stay hidden in the pack.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Heading out the building with a final good-bye to the old spider- they never did get his name, they realized, but maybe it was somehow 'this old man' anyway?- the mood managed to hold even as they began to head off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Remember- due east -ka," Ka started, the group slowly making their way through the streets. The bustling crowds had somehow gotten worse now- simply passing the windowsill of one building there was an entire crowd of feline-type barians clamoring for some sort of fish, while at yet another there was a horned, sheet faced barian discussing prices with someone who couldn't be seen at all. The buildings, as they passed, grew both more rigid and structured, yet more alien as they moved. There were pipes that seemed unconnected to anything. There were venting chutes opening blankly to the ground, grates blocking off solid walls. The number of lit signs even increased- a few with those eerie rose eyes seeming to even watch them as they moved. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was unnatural, and it sapped the very mood from the air. While they blended in perfectly with the crowd, it soon became impossible to simply move straight- the roads and streets twisted and wound, with Ka looking up constantly to test the energy of the air and relocate where the sun was- when she could see it, for that matter. Yuuma couldn't help but notice a few even odder things as well- various crossed out symbols of fires, undoubtedly banning any open flame could be seen. As well, it almost felt as if the more of them she saw, the more others were somehow watching through them as well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was when she realized that there was hardly anyone in the streets at all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In fact, above, where grates and pipes and bars crossed between buildings, they could barely see the sun.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As if the city itself were a jungle of concrete and stone, people peering out from the windows or even shuttering them closed, they had gone from existing in a wild, excited cityscape to a seeming prison of commercial construction. Down darker alleys to the side, they could see what almost looked like bones- an impossibility in Barian, and yet the sight did not go away. One minute, the grimy alleys would be empty. The next, it was as if it were veined with flesh, black tar-like ooze strung from the ends.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The city itself, it seemed, was playing tricks on them, and her nervous heart soon betrayed her. "...Guys..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris was clutching at her wrist. Ka was chittering under her breath, already furious.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Guys...where are..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"BACK!" Ka screeched from nowhere, jumping back as Iris was made to pull Yuuma away for her. "GET BACK -KA!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before their eyes, they watched it happen. As the earth broke and bent upward, stone melting into steel. It rose, and rose up farther, holes cutting themselves out for windows, as pipes and ladders grew along it. The city was 'growing' again. Changing. Adding...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Th...But we were about to go that way-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Well not anymore..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Our next best option is this next alley, but if what we're feeling is any sign, that's going to happen again soon," Iris muttered fearfully, holding Yuuma's wrist even tighter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Without a word, Ka nodded and darted off- Iris herself quickly pulled Yuuma after her, the girl giving but a short yelp as they followed. "HU-OH!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was little choice though. The walls behind them began to link together with grates and overhangs, soon even slamming steel barred walls between them. Holes and door ways opened up in some newer walls, as entire stalls and shops made themselves known in the dark, enclosed alley way. They kept running. Running, as the city itself formed around them, running until they stopped hearing the strange slosh of some kind of fluid at their feet, until they stopped seeing visions in the corners of their eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They ran, and finally they were back on a bustling, busy street, the sun shining upon them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"H...Hahhh...hahhh...hah...I... ...I need to...catch my breath..." Yuuma panted, the other two simply staring back at the alley. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rolls of yellow and black 'tape' were now  forming across the alley entrance, a delayed warning for any passing by. As if it were warding them off. Or perhaps, instead laying claim to whatever it had captured inside...as if it had devoured anything there...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hahhh...hah..." Yuuma breathed deeply, and swallowed, the sounds of the city soon filtering through her ears. Dangling paper lanterns hung from an overhead 'railing' that bridged the gap of the road, each one numbered and decorated prettily as rusty orange barite flowers decorated the above. Here, even, those many 'eyes' could be seen from the lights. Some on, some not, the various barians simply ignoring the sight as they aired out cloth from balconies up above, or discussed matters through windows on the street. It sent chills down her spine, and all she could think of was how recently they’d spoken of such a similar eye locking Vector to a throne.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'<em>It was like a dream come true!</em>' the idol on the TV was saying from one window, '<em>I had always wanted to sing in life, and then suddenly, there was a whole recording studio, complete with everything I needed!</em>'</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'<em>Why, that sounds like me! Just three months ago, my entire stage appeared, ready and waiting for a reporter to take the reigns-</em>'</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka's voice pulled her from her distracted focus upon the world around them, a blocky-faced barian with horns so long they merged into a single ring, passing them by. "Ka..! Ridiculous...how the hell are we supposed to get out of this place if the damn city is keeping us here -ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before any of them could voice their worries, a chill passed down her spine. Something familiar, Yuuma realized, that old haze coming over her thoughts. Something...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why, you're all leaving? It seems like you folks just got here though! Am I right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'<em>Don't turn around,</em>' she thought to herself for some reason, even as she slowly did so anyway. '<em>Don't turn around,</em>'</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Instead, her eyes came to meet with a tall, tall figure garbed in a neat, pressed black suit. Buttoned up, with sleeves of impossible width to hide all but their hands- eyes of red staring from the backs of them. Slowly, Yuuma's eyes pulled away to look up- up to where there a blank, empty face with nothing more than a face splitting 'pleasant' smile sat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's always swell to see people moving into town, don't you think? We're ranked 'most peaceful' for a reason! And we're always looking for new hires at BaraMe- so you don't have to worry about feeling left out by the modern world!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma's words were stuck in her throat, the haze sitting heavier, and heavier. And all she could hope, as the sounds of choking came from the others, was that there be someone in this place who could pull them out from it.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0078"><h2>78. Chapter 78</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She was wrong about the feeling. The heavy feeling fogging her thoughts. Telling her something would be alright, that it would be just fine, just listen, <em>just listen</em>, and she could have whatever she wanted...</p><p> </p><p>She was wrong because the feeling in Cor Ignis didn't even have this much. The feeling in Cor Ignis was simply disorienting. Clouding. It muddied the mind and made her feel hurt, and even confused.</p><p> </p><p>This was worse, because it came with a promise. It was worse because it tempted her to gain and lose all at once, and equal parts of herself were fighting to keep her from saying so much as a word. She could hear Iris choking. Hear Ka chittering. Chittering.</p><p> </p><p>Chittering.</p><p> </p><p>"Kkkkkk...KA..! What the hell...is this -ka!!"</p><p> </p><p>"There's no need to be upset," sang the 'BaraMe' representative. "We have on-site housing, filled with all of the amenities you could need, including television-"</p><p> </p><p>"Nhhgk...I...Don't..."</p><p> </p><p>"<em>That's right -pon!</em>"</p><p> </p><p>"<em>Keep resisting -dapon!</em>"</p><p> </p><p>In an instant, Yuuma's vision cleared. Cries came out from the air, and a hazy smoke followed. Reacting immediately, Ka screeched- letting loose her own barite-tinged smoke bomb and grabbing Iris while the other girl narrowly realized she would need to do the same for Yuuma.</p><p> </p><p>Not one to fail with improvisation, the ones who had broken them from their lock under the red eyes upon the barian's hands were quick to shout for them to follow.</p><p> </p><p>"This way -poko!"</p><p> </p><p>"Bunbuku can't hold him long -ponpoko!"</p><p> </p><p>Yuuma couldn't help but find herself thinking of tanuki, with all the 'pons' and 'pokos' and variations filling the air. It was an idle thought and one that ultimately helped cast aside the fear she had, clearing her vision further as she glanced back. Barely visible in the fog, the BaraMe representative was still smiling. Still talking- 'Why, that's grounds for arrest you know!'- even as three shadowy figures the size of large cats tore viciously into the barian's neck. She looked away when she realized she could see space between it and the barian's body, even while the being was speaking in that pleasant and non-confrontational tone, the fear creeping back up as they ran.</p><p> </p><p>Where they were running was an unknown however. "Ka! Why should we be trusting you lot!"</p><p> </p><p>"You'll have to -popon!"</p><p> </p><p>"The city will just lock you in if you're caught now -poko!"</p><p> </p><p>Iris scowled, but even so they continued following. "They're right Ka! Whatever is making this place grow it's reacting to chaos- we can't afford it!"</p><p> </p><p>"And it won't just follow us anyway -ka!?"</p><p> </p><p>"H- Hey! Are you guys tanu-"</p><p> </p><p>"Shhh!" "Shhh!"</p><p> </p><p>The creatures leading them ahead were difficult to make out- they carried with them an ethereal haze that clouded vision, almost blue in colour. But as they were shushed, Yuuma realized they were being led up something- a set of stairs, higher, higher...</p><p> </p><p>"Talk later -dapon!"</p><p> </p><p>"Talk later, we need to get higher!"</p><p> </p><p>Higher, they insisted, and so they kept running. Higher, higher, higher- until at last with a sudden blast of wind, the fog around them was cast back and they stopped running.</p><p> </p><p>All three of them stared with wide eyes as they came to a stop upon a somewhat ramshackle rooftop- with tin 'shingles' forming the slanted edges off the sides, twisted antennae lining  a corner, and cables running between it and the many other roof-tops it was barely off-level with.</p><p> </p><p>What had their attention was not the roof however, but instead the now visible figures. They were all short- mostly somewhat round even, but more importantly they were<em> furred</em>- genuinely furred, not coated with needles, glass, or even softened metal. They had tails, and clothes, and among the five that were gathering there now it mattered not all their differences. The similarities made it clear.</p><p> </p><p>"AHHHHH...! They really are tanuki..!!"</p><p> </p><p>Ka looked as if she would have an aneurysm. "...That's it -ka. I've died twice, and I'm having a fever dream-ka."</p><p> </p><p>In reply, one of the tanuki couldn't help themselves.</p><p> </p><p>"Pon!" they laughed, and it was ultimately a good thing that Ka had developed so much restraint. Yuuma was certain she would have tried to throw at least one off the roof otherwise.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0079"><h2>79. Chapter 79</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There had been a lot of warnings about the barian world.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That it was dangerous, and terrible. That there were things there, things that made sure nothing older than 500 had lived save a scattered handful, things that made people turn on the other outside the cities. The cities were supposed to be some level of safe- but even then not so much, as the 'Beneath' at Aurum had proven.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma couldn't help but feel that since coming so much as a step into the Pine Lands, the entire land itself had turned upon them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If she thought about it longer, she'd have realized how painfully ironic that was, given whose region the Pine Lands were.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As it stood, they were distracted by the tanuki.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're...actual animals aren't you?" Iris was asking, blinking as she looked the five over. "...That's fur isn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tanuki each laughed, though one in particular drummed a fist against their big, round belly- and in an instant, and a small puff of that same bluish smoke, the tanuki was no longer furred. Instead the tanuki looked to be plated in layers of gold, accompanied by armor and steel. Their eyes were like small lanterns in themselves- and then with another drumming pound, they were furred again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! They're all barians -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Da-pon!" Was the laughing reply, though the same one who had drummed for transformation- bearing a hat like a teakettle lid, and a rope 'vest' across their back- shook his head. "Don't believe what your eyes and senses tell you -da pon! Humans aren't the only ones who have somewhere to go when they die!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You don't see most of us -poko, because the Barian Lords are supposed to keep them apart," another of the tanuki chimed in- her voice light and childish, and her eyes wide. "They seek the spirits out, and pull them into cages, and chain the doors -poko!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Chained doors..." Yuuma couldn't help but repeat that bit, thinking back to how she'd released Astral. It was probably unrelated though, and besides- "Ahh! Then you really are..!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Pon!" "Po-pon!" "Pon poko-!" Through the series of cheers, the tanuki nodded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm Bunbuku, of the Souka Brigade- second in command to Kasasashi-sama -da pon. We have been here for many years- learning to hide among the barians themselves, to avoid the fate of our fellows."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"According to Kasasashi, there used to be a time where it wasn't a problem -po pon," added a third from the group, their tail at least as large as they were. "Where spirits who moved onto this place didn't get along best, but were at least able to coexist po-pon..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A fourth one adjusted their goggles. "In the end though -pon, it is what it is. For some reason, when the lands changed, the Barian Lords came to enforce that."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka looked over the group with obvious suspicion- it didn't likely help that she just had it more or less confirmed that yokai existed in the world. Or perhaps these were just a group of heavily convinced barians..? Well. "So then why bother helping us back there -ka? If barians are the reason you're in hiding, what use is there -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was the fifth one who spoke- the only one wearing pants, they noted, the baggy trousers seeming almost like a skirt. They frowned up at the trio, and shook their head. "Is a reason needed with those guys, ponpoko? Even if the Barian Lords have tracked us down for all these years, and tracked down the likes of other spirits, that does not mean the blame falls upon you ponpoko."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Bunbuku nodded. "As Kozou says -dapon, we moved, because you needed help."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That barian..." Yuuma couldn't help but speak aloud, a grimace on her face as she looked down. "...They're dead, aren't they..? Like..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Iris turned away, the tanuki looked to Yuuma. "Oh...don't worry about them -poko! Whatever happens now, they're better for it, I promise!" As Yuuma stared, the tanuki bowed slightly. "The barians who bring more to 'BaraMe'...they're not themselves anymore. They've been hollowed out, changed in shape... ...They're not themselves anymore -poko, and what happened...I would even call it a mercy. ...My name is Jubako, by the way -poko," she added a little quietly. "We should introduce ourselves, before we start to move."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh...move?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris stared, and quickly realized what they were saying. "...Coming with you is our best chance to properly get out from here isn't it?" she asked, sighing as the tanuki stared in reply. "Hahh...we've had it a bit easy until now, haven't we?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! If you call wyrms and soldiers easy," Ka scoffed, looking to the tanuki all the same. "...Do we get more explanation than that then -ka? Or do you plan on leaving us to just assume this really was from the bottom of your hearts...lying isn't very becoming of a 'tanuki', you know, so I'll know if you are, kakakakakaa..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed perhaps an odd thing to laugh about, even if quietly- but then, with all the stresses of what had just occurred, no one could be surprised. The other tanuki simply nodded, Bunbuku taking the lead of things. "Of course -dapon. Kasasashi will definitely explain everything, especially for the one with you," he added, looking to Yuuma.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh? Me??"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tanuki traded looks, and then each of them winked. "Later -po pon," the large tailed tanuki insisted. "My name is Uchiwata- and we can explain everything later!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"There's too many ears- and even more eyes," the tanuki with goggles added. "By the way, I'm Oware, -pon. But 'BaraMe' is a strange group. They have control, without control, and you can't tell what they'll be looking for -pon. We'll be safest when all eight of us are back together."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With all of the tanuki now named- Bunbuku, Jubako, Oware, Uchiwata, and Kozou, apparently- the girls traded looks and slowly nodded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Lead the way then -ka," the mosquito sighed, the tanuki each moving to take places at the front and rear of the group.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Good, -dapon! We can talk about simpler things on the way there," Bunbuku insisted as he adjusted his 'hat'. The path they started upon was immediately one of risk- and though they walked for now, it was clear that they were prepared to break into a run at any moment. The group began by crossing over rickety planks of sheet metal spanning between a set of buildings, even climbing up a fallen wind-mill pole that had once been set to generate some sort of energy. Glancing downward, Yuuma could see the alleys from before- the tops of trashbags in their cans flashing in and out with hallucinated visions of 'flesh' and bone, questionable smears of black fluid streaked through other, entirely empty areas.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma took her eyes off of it, and focused on the tanuki. Bunbuku, Kozou, and Oware were up front; occasionally as they moved, they would dart ahead to push over a pipe or similar, creating the extra bridges and steps necessary to carry on. Jubako and Uchiwata were at the rear, casually following behind and even occasionally dropping the bridges downward to the alleys below. The farther in they went, the stranger the buildings became. Clustered together as they were, there were balconies locked against the other like tangled wire, rooftops themselves acting as stepping stools upward. For a few buildings, they even began to lean off to the side- unable to support the weight of metal and concrete upon itself, yet not allowed to break to the below either. Distantly she could see parts of the rooftops that almost looked like houses- constructed beneath water towers, generators, and more. The sights were quick to disappear however, just as so many other things had.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As if the city itself was not sure of anything it was doing. As if it was acting on an autopilot, yet fluctuating between dreams, desires, and wants. Yuuma looked down again and swallowed- Uchiwata tapped her wrist from behind to draw her attention away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't look down there, -po pon...they don't notice things above because no one thinks to look up, but if you look down, they will -po pon."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"People in this city could be tied to 'BaraMe' without even knowing- if their eyes meet yours, they'll be chasing you again -poko!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Just like that?" Yuuma protested, nonetheless keeping her eyes upward. "But why?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"For you, it would be the chaos, -po pon." Uchiwata's tail twitched, and they explained. "...Chaos is power -po pon...if they got a hold of you, they could probably do a lot..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Less than they'd think," Ka muttered, saying little else all the same. The tanuki couldn't say much to that, and as they passed a stacked tower of houses and apartments that was so mismatched it was almost round with the number of turns each corner made, the conversation faded. A wall of balconies, their supports linked to rooftops and electric poles. Walls of fans, blasting air forward and sucking it in. It occurred to them that they couldn't so much as see anything natural of the Barian world from here- it was only cityscape, however strange, from massive cranes to walls of televisions, and even round, window filled 'houses' topping towers. Were it not for the sky, and the ever present sun, Yuuma would have wondered if they hadn't walked into another world entirely. As it was, when she looked to the side as they walked she saw It.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A tower- taller than any tower they had walked upon, or passed thus far. It looked more like a cocoon than a tower. Wrapped and bound in steel, the glass that created the many windows lining it were a deep fuchsia, a stark contrast to the dominant black and green of the city. At the very top however, could be seen the largest window of them all- big and round, formed of many smaller ones within but undoubtedly forming one cohesive image.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>An eye- its slit black pupil identical to the one Black Mist had carried, perhaps not unlike the one over Vector that Ka had described, staring blankly ahead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It turned, and with a yelp everything changed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While nothing occurred from the ground, dots began to fill the air. A shrill shout followed from the tanuki, and abruptly each one grabbed for the wrists of the three following along.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We'll lose you otherwise -dapon!" Bunbuku shouted, running ahead. "Move!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Quickly -pon!" "Don't think, just run -poko!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was exactly what they did. Impossibly, despite being dragged behind by each tanuki, it felt more as if moving on their own. Vaulting a wall and foregoing the slower treks across bridges altogether they ran, rushing over buildings, and even climbing the rails that were built impossibly off the sides of others. Making ladders with whatever was present, swinging from the cables of the many construction cranes and even power trees within the city limits, the city itself began to blur- soon they weren't rushing over rooftops but under them, entering one window and exiting the next, sliding through pipes wide enough to house elephants only to be spat through dead and motionless fans to another roof.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They ran, and continued to run, until finally it seemed they were allowed to slow. Panting for breath, Yuuma held her knees- the tanuki watched, looking between themselves. "What the hell was that -ka?" Ka demanded, the first one to find words.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And what were those things that were in the air for that matter? It was obvious that's why you started us running, but-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sorry, -dapon...we can't explain it out here," Bunbuku insisted, Ka shaking in anger.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is that so -ka? What, that thing will come down on us the minute we know what it is -ka?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Potentially, yes." As Kozou spoke, Ka cut her complaints short, eyeing the tanuki with suspicion. It didn't seem that they were lying at all- but that in itself perhaps, worried her more. "They reacted quickly -ponpoko. Maybe too quickly, but..." He trailed off, glancing over Yuuma and looking back to Bunbuku. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The kettle-lid tanuki shook his head. "We're almost there, -dapon. Follow us." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were not quite on the outskirts of the city, but rather an area far out enough that it could be called as much. It was just barely too far to properly see the edge that was their goal- if one squinted, they could make out a line of teal at the edge, heralding the borders of the Pine and Slate Lands. It seemed that the city had grown so much that it reached even that far- and while the lands of the border would  undoubtedly stretch far as well, it was still unnerving to think about how far the city itself therefore reached. It would take a matter of weeks to simply leave <em>the city</em>, Ka realized, Iris as well glancing off to the distance only to grimace. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And there was no way that whatever was at hand would be allowing that with ease.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Turning to the curtained hole covering a shack upon the roof, the mosquito thus swallowed her pride yet again and followed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For now at least, they had no choice but to trust in the things that had pulled them from something far worse.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0080"><h2>80. Chapter 80</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The entry did not lead to a room, but instead a hole with a ladder. Taking it down brought them to an even stranger place- dark, and almost earthy, it smelled of fresh dug soil and even seemed to have actual roots poking through the ceiling. It was a tunnel, yet not quite- just barely tall enough for Ka to stand within as they were led forward, Yuuma carefully adjusting the sling that held the somehow still slumbering barian at her front.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps he would have been better off at that old man's place after all she thought quietly, swallowing. It was too late to think of that however.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tanuki walked ahead- holding floating lights upon their hands, and clearly leading them somewhere within the impossibly existing caverns. Compared to so much that they had seen it was almost unbearably simple- and yet in the simplicity, distracting in itself. Along the walls as they drew closer to wherever their goal was, could be seen swirling indents within the dirt- coiling constantly like waves, a pattern with no meaning save to exist.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they did finally reach where they were being taken, Yuuma did not even realize they were there. She had to be stopped- Ka's arm outstretched just slightly, catching her attention as she bumped into it. "Ah-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So, -ka..." Ka looked to the three new tanuki sitting before her- one upon a small seat, the other two upon cushions. In the middle, a tanuki with a massive umbrella held behind her sat, old eyes looking over them with scrutiny. To the left, a tanuki holding a tightly bound bottle, a vest of red buttoned up over their front. And to the right, to their mild surprise, a tanuki in barian state; armored and even masked, their ears and head forming a solid helmet of its own as they peered forward. Ka looked over them all and before trailing off entirely forced her words forward, looking immediately to the one in the middle. "This is it? You have all eight of your number -ka. So, how about those explanations?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a pause. The tanuki stared, as if waiting for something. Growing irritated, Ka clenched her fists.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Tongue-tied, -ka?! You were the ones to bring us here -ka! And your fellows were the ones who insisted you had answers! So, -ka! Explain!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What is that 'red eye' throughout the city?" Iris questioned in turn, following Ka's lead. "Why is the city itself so quick to bring people in, but grow around them when they get ready to leave?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...And how come the barian lords were hunting you anyway?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As the elder two closed their eyes and sighed, the tanuki all looked toward Yuuma.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why would they have to keep things separate or whatever?! Didn't Gilag... ...Gilag knew a tanuki once, didn't he? So then why..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The armored barian seemed to stare longest, before looking to the others. He did not say anything- but even his look seemed to be enough to convince the others of something.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Old eyes widened, and the umbrella bearing tanuki spoke. "...You're <em>human</em>," she proclaimed, standing to her feet. "...Genuinely alive and human..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What -dapon..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How is that even possible -po pon!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before the protests could rise too far, the elderly tanuki raised a paw- all went silent, at least until Ka and Iris turned upon her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm beginning to get sick and tired of people finding you out with just a look -ka..!" the mosquito hissed without even looking at her, shaking on the spot.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you plan to do with us?" asked Iris, her voice cool and level next to Ka's own tremor. "...Even for a human you can tell, can't you? The amount of chaos she has..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The air was tense. Tense, and silent, until finally Yuuma herself had had enough. "Oii..! Who cares if I'm human..! Can't you guys answer those questions either way!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmn..." The tanuki frowned, closing one eye. "...Rather rude, aren't you, human... ...you're reminding me why we spent most of our lives playing tricks..." A rattling sound came, like a wheezing breath- the armored barian shuttered its violet eyes, and the elder sighed. "...Very well. You asked what my plans are? They would be the same regardless. For my brethren to bring strangers in, means that they want them kept well- and what sort of tanuki would we be then, if we didn't do just that? I am Kasasashi, and I have lived here long enough to see the very lands change and grow. Now that they're growing more wildly, my standards wont' be changing. Beside me is Akashiro. To the other, you can see Sanda. Together, all of us are the only spirits within this entire city," she explained curtly, looking up to the three. "...Though I expect you would not know precisely why..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh...One of these guys said something about the Barian Lords keeping everyone separate but..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm. Basic enough, yes..." The tanuki trailed off, and glanced between the three. From Ka's fuming irritation, to Iris' cool yet hair-thin patience. And from her, to Yuuma, the girl exhausted yet determined. "...I will explain in more detail later- for now, know this. A greater power placed the Barian Lords in their thrones many years ago. That power is the closest thing I can describe 'BaraMe' as," Kasasashi warned. "And it is nothing good. I've escaped capture for many years now, long enough to avoid worse things than this form of it...but where before they were nothing, now they've gained true power. This city has been growing for many months now- but it's only now, in these last two or so, that it has started to <em>feast</em>."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma swallowed, unable to help but think of the things spotted in the alleys. "F...feast..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kasasashi waved it off. "As I said- I will explain things to all of you later. For now, know that keeping out of sight from them is your biggest priority- after getting out of here of course," she humed, the elder two of the group unable to keep from sighing in relief. It was, after all, proof that they had the same goal in mind- there would be no need to worry quite so much about if their ideas aligned then (though there would indeed still be worry, given their own attitudes). "Getting out of here will be tricky of course but... ...well, again, that's later. Or at least something that one of you may well miss anyway..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmn?" Iris blinked. "What do you-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a point toward Yuuma, and bleary eyed, the girl pointed at herself. "Eh..? Me..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course. You said you were human?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, she hadn't really<em> said</em> it, but ultimately she nodded. In turn, the tanuki hummed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Then there are human matters to settle. Jubako! Ushiwata!" The two smaller tanuki jumped, and Kasasashi looked to her armored vassal. "And you as well I think, Sanda, yes...We all remember human needs and indulgences, don't we? So you know what to do!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"EH!??"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course!" Jubako cheered. "Right this way miss, we'll get the drum ready and filled to the brim with some water -poko!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, I can try cooking something again -po pon...this will be nice..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"......" was all that Sanda seemed able to say, the armored thing standing up and helping to usher the girl off down the tunnel.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O-Oii...wait!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't worry about us Yuuma!" Iris called after the girl, turning around. "We'll see you once you've eaten!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That or after you've had a nap, kakakakakaa..!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"O-Oiii!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma's voice soon enough faded, but with it, so did the remaining humor that had so briefly entered the air. Ka turned back, and so did Iris- and immediately, the ninja spoke.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So then, -ka... ...What kind of mess are you dealing with, if you needed her out of the room -ka..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kasasashi gestured for them to take a seat, and from there, they braced for the worst.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0081"><h2>81. Chapter 81</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The tunnels of the tanuki were almost definitely made through some sort of illusion, though it wasn't really something that came to Yuuma's mind as they walked. Instead, what she thought was that it was an awful impressive set of tunnels that they'd hidden inside a building. The three leading her off were quick to bring her to a round- almost literally so save for the floor- room, the far end packed down with hay beneath a sheet, and the rest of it just as sparse in furnishings. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was after taking a few steps in that she realized 'three' had become 'two'. "Eh? Where did-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ushiwata's gone to get the drum-poko, so we can set up a bath. We thought it would be nice to put all that stuff down though -poko!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...." Sanda tilted their head toward the barian in the sling, their companion following the gaze.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! There's another-!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma laughed, even if a bit quitely. "Hahaha...yeah! He fell right on me when we got here...but he hasn't woken up since then. He seems like a 'Koushi'..." she hummed, nodding to herself as the others stared. "...But I'm really glad he's still asleep..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's a brand new one? Just fallen -poko!?" While it wasn't panic that touched her voice, it was clear that this wasn't something she'd expected. The tanuki blinked rapidly, and shared a look with Sanda.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In the silence, Yuuma took the opportunity to simply answer. "...Yeah?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Pok-ooooooooh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"....<span class="u">Be careful when he wakes then -pon,</span>" the metal tanuki began, Yuuma gasping in turn. "<span class="u">It'll be confusing -da pon... He'll be confused.</span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ehhhh!! You talked..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sanda choked, and ducked their head within the odd metal 'scarf' that came out from their armor. Jubako merely laughed at the sight, a small giggle from between her paws. "...Sanda doesn't like to talk very often- poko. You must really like her, huh Sanda-san~!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...." The tanuki said nothing in reply, leaving Jubako to giggle once more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well -poko, let's get all this stuff put somewhere," she insisted, moving to help untie the straps of the pack. Yuuma helpfully held her own arms out until the bundle was down on the ground, carefully taking 'Koushi' out of the sling and laying him on the seeming bed at the side from there. "Oh- good, you had the same idea I did -poko. He can keep resting there...hopefully he wakes up soon though -poko..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How long will he probably be asleep?" Yuuma asked, the tanuki looking back to her near robotic companion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm..." Jubako ultimately shrugged, shaking her head. "...I don't know -poko. Most of us found the other after that type of thing -poko...we're always looking after all!" she explained with a smile. "That's how we found you guys! We always go out on patrols, either to see if there's other spirits caught in the city, or to break a few of BaraMe's eyes!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was a bit odd. "...Break their...eyes..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sanda was the one to explain, at least somewhat. "<span class="u">The lights, -da pon.</span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Exactly." With a nod, Jubako continued. "You saw all those lights that look more pink than anything? Those are from BaraMe -poko!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And because of that, BaraMe can see through them, -po pon." Yuuma turned as Ushiwata returned, blinking when she saw how the other looked. Gone was the fluffy, large tailed tanuki- instead, the spirit had taken their barian state, and for good reason. Resembling a gnarled creature formed of wood and plant, the tail at the end was so formed of roots that it appeared to be able to double as another hand- one as large as Ushiwata themselves. It was this, which allowed the tanuki to carry the large oil-barrel (though Yuuma wondered if it was actually for oil at any point), carefully coming into the room to set down a set of bricks from their arms before lowering the barrel to it. "Destroying the lights helps keep people from falling for their tricks...or at least, it lets us avoid their eyes -po pon. Now- here you go -po pon!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma grinned, immediately hopping toward the barrel. "Hehhh! So this is what I'm using to take a bath here? Cool...! I've never had a goemon-furo before..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"<span class="u">G...goemon...da pon..?</span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The three tanuki each choked, and apparently for the same reasons. In fact, Ushiwata almost looked insulted- "Y...You think we'll boil you -po pon!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"G...Goemon...Goemon was that guy they boiled wasn't it -poko!? You think we're going to do that -poko!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ehhh?" Looking back and forth between the tanuki, Yuuma couldn't figure out how the mix-up between them had hit at all. Staring with wide eyes, she looked to Sanda first- he was the one who questioned it first, after all. "...What do you guys mean, 'boil'...a goemon-furo is just a type of bath right? It's when the tub is all round, like a kettle, or a drum!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was the tanuki's turn to ponder things, looking between themselves in quiet confusion. Eventually Jubako took a stab at things, furrowing her brows. "A drum -poko... ...and...do you know why they call it 'Goemon' then, -poko..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...It just is, isn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mmmmm..." The tanuki all hummed to themselves, going over their options again. Certainly, they could spoil the mood and explain matters of the Goemon from their era, executed through boiling, but...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...it's probably coincidence then I guess," Jubako decided with a slow blink, looking back to Yuuma. "But I'm glad that it's something you're looking forward to at least -poko! We don't really have any shampoos and things though...ah-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jubako blinked as Yuuma started tossing her clothes aside, already getting into the tub. Ushiwata, who was setting up some warm crystals beneath the thing, blinked- evidently not expecting that level of zeal for it. "-Po pon?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Heheeeee...! I only ever saw pictures of people taking baths like this..!" she cheered, settling into the water. "Ahhh, don't worry about soap and stuff, I've had to just use water the whole time anyway! It's better than nothing, right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rattling laughter came from Sanda, the tanuki nodding furiously. "<span class="u">That's the right idea -da pon! Enjoy your bath, Yuuma!</span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yosh..!" she replied eagerly, resting her arms over the side and looking to the group. Ushiwata had already reverted to their 'tanuki' state, leaving Sanda as the only 'barian' in the room once more. Still grinning, Yuuma felt the water heat up to a more cozy temperature, sinking into the tub a little more. "Hmmnhnnn... I hope I get to do this a bunch more," she sighed, the tanuki simply smiling in turn.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If you're going to be out of here in time -poko, you probably won't be having it baria-style," Jubako admitted with a small smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe someone else in other places will have something like this, but you can't stay here too long after all -po pon."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A sigh, and Yuuma's smile saddened a bit. "Yeah... ...I know that. If I don't, I'll never get home, right?" Silence. For a moment it felt as if Sanda in particular was watching, the girl in the tub turning away to instead look at the water. "...It's been... ...a pretty long time. Even though I've been keeping track, I don't want to count right now- it hurts. ...It hurts to think about how many days I've been gone. ...To think of what Granny thinks...or Akari...or Kotori, and Tetsuo, and Sh..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a choke- the tanuki all paused, Sanda even moving to take a half step forward.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But with a sniff, Yuuma pulled herself back to determined spirits anyway. "...But I'm going to get there!" she declared, turning back around. Her eyes were watery, but her grin was wide, and the girl nodded. "I'm going to kattobing, and make it back home! ...And after I do, I'll find a way to tell all of you I made it, too! And maybe even find a way to help you guys here!" she added.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Staring, the tanuki were stunned silent- but with softening smiles, even if unseen, they all nodded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"<span class="u">Of course, -da pon</span>," Sanda answered for the others. "<span class="u">We'll wait eagerly for it too!</span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aaah!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was all grins and determined shouts- at least until Ushiwata moved to leave the room. "Well, -po pon...I'm going to get something for you to eat, okay -po pon? I'll see what the others cooked up, so that you can have a good meal!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"AHH!! Right! The food!!" Yuuma shouted, the others merely laughing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You have time -poko..! Just relax and enjoy your bath..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"R..right..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It would be a simple meal in the end, but when surrounded by so many other simple things, it was only appropriate. A simple hot bath, which soon ended for her to dry off with a simple sheet cloth of a towel- a simple meal of strange, pebble-like grains with what almost looked like egg, and some added 'vegetables' of varying shape and colour- and finally, once she had something cleaner on for pajamas, a collapse onto a simple bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was simple, but after all that had happened, and all that had occurred, she couldn't help but think it was the greatest sort of 'night' she could possibly have had.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn't wait to be able to tell her friends and family about it when she finally got home.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn't wait to tell Astral, when she saw him again.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0082"><h2>82. Chapter 82</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Yuuma's rest was contrasted with the tension of Iris and Ka some distance away in the other room. Once the others had left, and were far enough away that they were out of earshot, Ka's question was finally answered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The reason I knew your friend was human, was because Sanda<em> recognized</em> them."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kasasashi's words had an immediate effect- the two before her were utterly silent with their shock, even while the remaining tanuki in the room seemed to show no response.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Unable to hide a smirk, the tanuki couldn't help herself. "...Surprised I take it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I probably shouldn't be -ka," was Ka's response, the mosquito squatting down into a seat with a sigh. "You picked up on that quick though -ka."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Very quick. ...You're telepathic, aren't you?" Iris asked, less as a question and more as a demand for details on the function.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nodding, Kasasashi was quick to pick up on their worries- without any mind reading. "For your thoughts to be available to me, you would have to be one of my own," she insisted, bowing her head. "For that matter, you would have to allow it first. Worry not- your thoughts are your own."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even with her words, it was clear the other two were nervous however- thus, Kasasashi carried on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The other tanuki, meanwhile, cleared out from the room to leave the three alone. "Sanda is a strange one among our group," she explained, seemingly without relation to the matter at hand. "You noticed that he appears properly 'barian'- perhaps you may even assume us to be hiding ourselves as well. But as tanuki, we have always been doing so- your average racoon dog certainly doesn't have the ability to speak, after all. Hiding ourselves is already natural. But for that one...Sanda is here, but not here. He is closer to what you would call a figment, if anything."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A figment?" Iris repeated. "...But for who?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kasasashi shook her head. "...From what I can tell, it may well be for themselves! The amount of energy they seem to use to maintain form...it's impressive, even for us after all. As it stands- you have a human with you, alive, from the modern era, and yet they know a tanuki. That's impressive- and worthy of my respect, under typical circumstances."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka caught the wording immediately. "And what of these ones then, -ka? Don't tell me she's failed some secret test..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a barked laugh that quickly faded into something more solemn, the tanuki confirmed the contrary. "Far from it! But to explain that...I'll have to explain a little more. You would have seen the rose coloured 'eyes' scattered through this city- as lanterns, signs, windows...those are extensions of BaraMe, as I'm sure you've figured out."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nods from the two, as Iris spoke for both of their thoughts. "We encountered something similar in Cor Ignis, but not at all on this scale..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"For that matter -ka, as much as I'd love to liken network markets to cults, there's still a pretty incredible difference between that and this -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris frowned. "...Network markets..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The living world's version of what we just avoided -ka. Don't worry about it," she insisted, Iris choking in reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That sounds pretty worrying actually..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mmm-hmm!" Kasasashi's cough cut the back and forth short, and she carried on. "...Obviously, you have the point. BaraMe presents itself according to the region- perhaps if the city hadn't grown to achieve the comforts of the modern era so quickly, it would have been more similar to how it appeared in Cor Ignis- perhaps not. I'm told people are more open there, and ultimately anyone who comfortably settles here tends to stick to their hobbies and little else. There's not a lot of trust in Souko- perhaps for a reason. But back to the point- all of it goes back to the tower you would have passed on the way here. Perhaps you noticed it. It's the tallest one here."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That cocoon building then..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The one that turned its eye right on Yuuma -ka." Ka narrowed her eyes immediately. "How unsurprising, kakakakaaa..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The chuckling was dark, and quiet- and as she received a nod for her efforts, the explanations continued. "That's the one. It appeared perhaps three months ago, maybe a little more- at that point, the city growing was something we were used to. It wasn't as violent as it is now, and if anything was helping us spirits out impressively- people were beginning to mingle more, try new things, new looks...we fit right in don't you know!" she chuckled, the sound dying as quickly as Ka's had. "...But that building was worrying- not just because of how fast it sank its roots in and pulled people in, but for where it came from..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Where..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka had a bad feeling immediately, and as they received the answer her very wings flared up in reply.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mmmn. 'Where'. Our tunnels have had connections to it for years, connections we watch carefully and avoid, but when that building appeared we made use of them for the first time only to find them blocked. The Palace of the Pine Lord- now directly under, and entrapped by the tower of BaraMe."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Didn't this just figure then?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0083"><h2>83. Chapter 83</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>While Yuuma finished a meal and settled for sleep, the two sitting with Kasasashi carried on with the matter of the infectious corporation literally sucking the city dry.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Th...The entire palace is <em>inside</em> the tower?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And apparently, the local lord as well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Without a doubt," Kasasashi replied as Iris stared, nodding solemnly. "Fortunately the Pine Lord has been gone far longer- so we can confirm he's not in there...but then again, the tower appearing around the thing is sign enough that something's happened. We may not be able to go near without risking capture and imprisonment of some sort when he's around, but that doesn't mean we hate the boy," she sighed, crossing her arms. At the blank stares from the others, she chuckled. "Ohh, don't give me that look- I'm not<em> technically</em> older by Barian standards...but adding in my time in the world of humans, well..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are tanuki especially long lived..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! They're called spirits for a reason, kakaka..! She's probably been here as long as she was on earth!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When Kasasashi simply smiled in reply to that, Iris gawked. "R...Really..? Is that so...?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmhmhm...you must be from Japan, 'Ka ninja'...you are a ninja, right? You're certainly dressed like one, though I suppose that isn't a very good indicator these days..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka preened immediately, and if she had a visible mouth she'd be grinning ear to ear. As it were, her eyes showed it in spades. "Kakakakakakaaa~ I dress to impress after all..~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I think we're getting a little side-tracked," Iris muttered, not enjoying how lost she was in all of this. "You said the palace was in the tower- it's certainly good that we didn't choose to seek Gilag out there then, though we should probably not tell Yuuma... ...but what does this have to do with 'Sanda' then?" she asked, Kasasashi tilting her head in the girl's direction.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well now....I believe you answered the question for us." As the others blinked, she continued on. "As I told you before, Sanda is odd- more a figment than a barian, and we can't tell where he's properly from. At times he reminds me of a young boy I knew in life in fact...and there's a strong chance he<em> is</em> them, frankly speaking. But the fact that they've manifested in this way tells me something's not quite right about the matter, so if he calls himself 'Sanda' then for now that's who he is," the tanuki insisted bluntly. "But Sanda..we found him within the palace. I told you it was barred off in our tunnels, yes? We couldn't enter in that way, and when we found out we determined it best to try and break in elsewhere- we succeeded too. A very interesting thing about that tower- you get the impression that they're not used to looking <em>up</em>," Kasasashi hummed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>From that, it wasn't hard to make a guess at what she meant. "Kakakaaa...snuck in from the top did you? Impressive, kakakaka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Very much so- they're not used to looking 'down', but after all it's the tallest building here," Kasasashi grumbled. "Still- we made it, and if pressed we could well do it again- and to our surprise, what should we find wedged between the floors BaraMe actually uses, but the portions of the palace! Empty, barren, and just as dark as we always pictured it... ...and inside, was Sanda. Asleep, sitting pretty on a cushion behind a painted screen..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! You make it sound like they were just a decoration then -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Quite a spectacular one if they were, the shadow they cast looked more like the Pine Lord..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The Pine Lord?" Iris blinked. "I thought you all had to avoid him on principle?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A grin. "Oh...that doesn't mean I didn't try a few tricks in my early years here~"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh!! A proper tanuki then, kakakaka!!!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...here you were wondering if you had died twice when you first encountered these people..." Iris muttered, frowning dryly. "Mmmmh...if 'Sanda' is that heavily connected to the Pine Lord though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Then evidently -ka, that's how Yuuma knows him. No, it's definitely how- I'd bet all of my barite on it. Yuuma knows the Pine Lord by name- and 'Sanda' was inside his chambers -ka. And given 'Sanda' knows her..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kasasashi nodded, and sighed. "It's still a mystery as to just what he meant to the boy, but the connection is clear. My only question now is just what to do with it, but perhaps the answer to that is 'nothing'...after all, the idea isn't to keep a young girl here for the rest of her days. The idea is to help her get home, isn't it?" There was silence in reply, and the old tanuki smiled. "...Yes, exactly. A tricky matter...there's a reason we patrol the city instead of trying to leave ourselves after all."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If you try to tell her there isn't a way out, she'll try harder ultimately," Iris warned.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! For that matter, I'm not planning on wasting my time in this crowded dump..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmhmhm...I wouldn't ask that of you, trust me on that. But we <em>will</em> need to do some careful planning...hmmm..." Kasasashi sighed, stroking her chin. "How much of these things do you generally let that girl in on?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm...on plans like these..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka scoffed, and waving a hand, merely shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Just get the map out -ka. We'll see how far we get while she sleeps, and go from there.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0084"><h2>84. Chapter 84</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When he awoke, it was to dirt. He wasn't on the dirt he realized- no, whatever he was on was actually rather soft, and cozy, and he found himself instinctively curling more under the provided blanket in fact.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But when he awoke, the ceiling, walls, and even the distant visible floor, was dirt. His first thought was that this wasn't right- he didn't quite know what sort of place he should have woken to, but if he strained his memory enough, he determined it would have somehow been 'shiny'. Whiter. Smoother, somehow in fact.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It wouldn't have been dirt, and it wouldn't have been this spacious. It would have been more closed in. Cramped. More...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ugh.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He held his head, groaning a little- an odd sensation given he had no mouth, but whatever. Part of him idly wondered if that was normal- it was a very small part however, as frankly, he felt fine.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If he felt fine, nothing was wrong. In fact, he thought, he felt as if it had been a very long time since he'd felt anywhere near this good, so it <em>definitely</em> couldn't be that anything was wrong. So.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He sat up, and took in the rest of the room. Spacious, just like he'd seen laying down- the 'bed' seemed to be on the far end given how much he could see, and there was some sort of tub off to the side, some simple clay dishes...it was all very basic. Simple. And-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...And he wasn't alone, he realized. There was someone else a foot or so away at the other end of the fairly large bedding cushion, curled up in their blanket as well. Sleeping soundly, with red and black hair that pricked something in the back of his memory.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn't place what that memory was, however. Standing up carefully, he slowly balanced himself out with his tail and made his way over, stooping down beside the girl to squint. Just why did something about them seem so familiar...the more he tried to think about it, the more he was sure he didn't know any girls who resembled this girl. So then why...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mhn..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hm?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girl opened her eyes, and immediately they met with the little barian's big, icey blue ones.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HAUUH!! Koushi! You're awake..!" Jerking backward and sitting up in the same motion, the barian stared, frowning immediately.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Koushi..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, however she knew him, they immediately had a lot to discuss it seemed.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0085"><h2>85. Chapter 85</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It wasn't that Yuuma hadn't expected the barian to wake up, but she'd expected him to wake up when she was actually awake, was the thing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So opening her eyes to see him simply stooped there, with such curiously familiar seeming eyes, was just a bit of a shock. Now that the barian was awake and standing, they were not very tall at all- shorter than even Tron, Yuuma would bet- or even Haruto perhaps. They sounded younger than Haruto too. It was almost unbearably small, and babyish, yet something about the way the barian held himself and spoke betrayed that.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As it was- Having just been questioned on the name, Yuuma laughed. "Ahehe...well, we were carrying you around and all, but calling you 'the baby' didn't seem right..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To this, the barian seemed to scowl. "...<em>Baby</em>?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ehh...well, you just came here, and you're all small so..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"..." He seemed to consider this, crossing his arms and glancing to the side as his tail flicked. Looking over one hand, he slowly nodded. "...Hmn. ...I suppose that's correct...I feel like I should be older than that though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh...you do?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh...I'm almost sure that I should be at least 18..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"HEH!? Th- That old? Wait, but how do you remember that anyway!? I thought barians didn't remember anything..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kakakakaaaa..! But they remember it all over time, under normal circumstance -ka..!" The two on the bed turned as a certain mosquito casually tromped along into the room, eyes glimmering with mirth. "Can you imagine how it would go if everyone woke up here and didn't remember their age for a year and a bit -ka? It'd just be weird..! But kakakakaka...I see you've woken up plenty quick -ka! Here I was betting on a week..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kh- A week..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's only been a day pretty much though, so you did great!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's still too long!" the barian insisted, Yuuma blinking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hehh, really..? It's only one day..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! And it isn't as if you would have any plans yet," Ka snorted, Iris coming into the room behind her. "Now then- with you awake, we can finally go our separate ways -ka! No more wondering when that will be handled!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What!??" Both Yuuma and the smaller one seemed to have the same idea, Iris simply watching.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnnh. Before that, I'd like to know what their name is myself...I have a feeling my suggestion will not be taken well..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Unable to keep from thinking about those words, the barian turned. "Your suggestion? Something other than 'Koushi', then?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris beamed. "Oh yes~ I'd thought 'Cadmus' seemed appropriate. It was a nice name in my time at least..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! It sounds like something you'd name the villain of a fantasy tale -ka! We may as well just think of him as the 'brat' we babysat while on the run!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hmm. Narrowing his eyes, he frowned. "...I see. ...Koushi it is then."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahh!! Really!?" Yuuma shouted, beaming immediately.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hnn...it seems the most familiar," he determined, glancing at Ka as an odd look passed over her face. "...Personally, I don't like the idea of being dumped in the middle of some unknown place when the things I recognized most plan to leave though. Wherever you're going, I'd rather come too."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KAK-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What? ...You don't even know where you are over all though..!" Iris choked, leaving Yuuma to catch the more relevant matter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Most familiar..? ...One of us is familiar, Koushi?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi. It sounded like a word he'd know, and have known more about, but he couldn't quite place it. It was familiar though, and he found himself deciding that if he was going to make the best of whatever this place was, chasing the familiar would be a must. Koushi nodded, resting one hand on his hip as he turned. "Aah. You, actually."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"EHHHH?" Iris and Ka were silent- the latter especially so as she studied the barian cautiously- while Yuuma choked. "Me?!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He nodded. "Mn. Not precisely, but enough. I don't remember any girls like you, but something about you definitely feels 'right' at any case."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is that so..." Iris blinked, her eyes quite wide. "How unexpected...that's rather rare isn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! Almost as rare as finding a blood relative- it's more likely -ka, but it's still not likely..! Probably something to do with her chaos levels -ka..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"H-hey, who cares 'why', does that mean you knew me..!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi paused- clearly about to say 'no', but hesitating for whatever reason. Ka's expression became as stone, and Iris, between the members of the group, could not help but notice. "...I don't think so," Koushi eventually said, clearly not fond of his own hesitance. "But I'll find out over time."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"As if we need more people coming along -ka...we're in a deep enough mess as it is..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahhh...but he could at least come with us to get out of the city right?" Yuuma insisted, looking to the others. "...If it's as bad as the others are saying..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mmm. She has a point Ka...if we left him here he'd probably be snatched in a flash..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Snatched?" That certainly got Koushi's attention. The barian's tail twitched just so, and he frowned. "Snatched by what?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnhhh...there was this creepy guy outside from something called 'BaraMe'..." A flicker of confusion- perhaps even that bit of familiarity- came through the barian's eyes, but Koushi said nothing, only nodding as Yuuma continued. "We don't know what would have happened, but it probably wasn't good either..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Unable to say much more, the others simply shrugged it off- both literally and figuratively so. "It can't be helped -ka. All of this is too new and too <em>big</em>- we couldn't even come up with a decent plan to get you out of here while you slept -ka, that's how much of a damn mess it is."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Yuuma gawked, Iris nodded. "She's unfortunately right- we hit a wall so hard that we ultimately decided to come check in on you instead- and apparently on another too," she added with amusement.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Apparently curious about the matter, Koushi simply hummed a bit. "It's that hard to leave this city then?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Mnh- if it's like how it was when we were in the alleys..." Yuuma grumbled, Iris merely sighing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The city seems to be constantly building up on itself- and from what the tanuki have seen, possibly even <em>consuming</em> its inhabitants somehow," she added, an ill expression briefly caught on her face. "The most we can do is find a good way out of here though. Whatever it is it won't be on foot however..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! If it was just one of you, it would be one thing..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You mean if it was just me, neh?" Ka simply cursed, turning around as Iris laughed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not getting into that -ka! If you're both awake and aware, let's just get back to Kasasashi!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes yes..." Iris chuckled, and looked back to the other two. "Maybe you two will have ideas. At this point I think anything could help," she sighed, following after Ka as they went back down the tunnels. "We can't approach from underground, and apparently even the tanuki's own tunnels there have been compromised...but going roof to roof is apparently a no-go either..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is it?" Yuuma blinked, the walk carrying on. "But that's how we got here isn't it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Unable to say much on the matter, Koushi simply remained silent, eyes taking in the details of the halls, the people he was with, and the way it was lit carefully with scattered, floating little crystals. In the meantime, Iris explained- Ka was still a fair bit ahead, having little patience for things now that she was in a sour mood again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It is, but apparently that only works in short spurts- as long as they're somewhere that eye can potentially see them, they'll risk being caught- it nearly <em>did</em> while we were on our way here, remember?" she asked, Yuuma giving a small choked laugh.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahe... ...Right... ...I just thought that maybe as long as we didn't look it in the eye again..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Oh? Iris blinked. "You what?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ahh. I see you've all returned," Kasasashi interrupted, the tanuki sitting at the far end of the room they had met her in before. Upon the ground was a large, ash-drawn image of what was presumably the city- the ashes were rusted and nearly crimson in colour, and seemed almost too precisely placed- Yuuma couldn't help but stare, distracted as the tanuki looked them over. "And I see the other one has woken up. Are you going to be going by that name Yuuma here has been using for you?" she asked, Koushi flinching slightly at the question.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment, he looked toward Yuuma- his eyes somewhat wide with surprise, but soon lightening the stare. Instead he slowly turned back and nodded. "...It seems as close as I'm getting for now," he ultimately determined. "So I thought it would be better than nothing."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Good, good. Now then, we were discussing options for how to get out of this place- or at least, for you four to do that," she added, smiling warmly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! More like the lack of options, given everything so far..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I wouldn't actually be so sure about that..." At Iris' statement, the mosquito turned, snorting.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Really now? And what changed your mind on that one -ka?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris smiled, looking toward Yuuma. "Something I just realized... ...Kasasashi, you said that the eye was attracted to Yuuma, right? Or at least its focus anyway." As the tanuki nodded, she carried on. "Yuuma says that nothing happened until she actually looked back to it. Do you have any thoughts on that?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The words caught Kasasashi's attention easily, and the old barian blinked. "Eye contact? ...Hmmm...that could work...it's still a bit risky to consider the city for anything more than a short run, but that does open the options enough to bounce between hideaways..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi looked over the map while the others spoke, Yuuma still looking at it as well. Eventually, realizing he was looking to it, she pointed toward the large 'spiderweb' seeming lump in the middle. "...I think that one is the BaraMe tower," she explained, nodding. "...It's the tallest one in the city here, with a great big eye on it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hoh...so that's the thing you looked at then?" Koushi asked, Yuuma wincing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aah... ...it felt like something kept poking at me to look...like the more I didn't, the more something was there, so..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm..." Koushi pondered this in silence, while turning his attention back to the others again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They seemed to be talking about a third, yet difficult option. "Kasasashi, you mentioned air travel before, right? Is that any more possible now?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmmm...it may well be..." she murmured, stroking her chin. "As I explained before, we do have access to gliders. Rather, Sanda does," Kasasashi clarified, smirking just slightly before she carried on. "The rest of us have our own tricks and tools, but while we can use those to get you into other places, we can't as easily use them to get you out. Sanda is the only one with as impressive an escape option. It's an impressive glider! Certainly large enough to take you <em>and</em> your supplies, provided two of you double up for a tag-along flight," she warned, looking toward Ka and Iris.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka did not seem so convinced however, merely scowling. "And what about the speed -ka? This is the same thing we talked about before. It'll be too slow, and you'd get shot down-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not if you keep someone from looking at them long enough, evidently..." As the others turned to Yuuma, Kasasashi carried on. "No doubt about it, this will be dangerous," she warned, tapping the end of her umbrella to the ground. Immediately, the ash upon the floor rose- buildings grew to comparable height, the BaraMe tower in particular standing tall. "Even if you were to keep your eyes glued shut for eternity, they would find you eventually. But if you can keep from looking to it long enough, you can gain some distance. Gain some distance, and that'll be enough."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmmm. That sounds about right," Koushi idly noted, the others blinking as he joined in. "But if this is a glider, you'll need height won't you?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And you know about them then?" Ka asked dryly, Iris glancing at the mosquito with a raised brow. It seemed for a moment that she wanted to say something- ultimately however she didn't, letting Ka carry on instead. "Whatever glider you saw in life, it probably won't be anything like this, kakakakaka...if you died just a bit ago after all, you're from a place with technology farther ahead than even here -ka..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi's eyes widened just a small bit, and Yuuma stiffened. "Y- Hey, if he can't remember anything, doesn't that mean you shouldn't-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ka! He's going to be dealing with it eventually, he may as well know ahead of time-ka! The only one who isn't dead here is you!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That doesn't mean..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah. ...I had a feeling..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma turned, as did the others. "...Eh..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment Koushi stared at the city map. In the end, he waved a hand, taking a seat. "Don't worry about it. For a moment I had a feeling, as if for some reason that news was worse than I could expect...but there's no point in worrying about that right now. If this place is as dangerous as you say, and you need to leave, then I need to follow you- it's as simple as that. If a glider is less advanced than what I remember even a little, then what I said doesn't change. You need enough height to clear the distance," he warned, Kasasashi nodding in turn.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Exactly so. Fortunately and unfortunately, I know exactly where the best option is."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her very words were enough to tell the others what she was thinking, and Iris was the first to act upon them. "...you can't possibly mean..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Can't I? The eye of the building only ever looks down- it only ever looks out. Perhaps there are eyes within, but something tells me you'll have better luck avoiding those ones than the ones on the street. And for that matter..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ka stared, and then stiffly finished the statement. "...For that matter -ka, you've already broken in before."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Eh!? You guys did what!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"To the former palace of the Pine Lord," Iris added, Yuuma choking even more. "You said it was safe there as well..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I did. It'll make a good 'check point' while you find a way up to the roof," Kasasashi noted. "Though that of course doesn't mean we have nothing to plan in order to get there..." With a smirk, she looked to Ka in particular. "...I could use a modern ninja's advice, I think."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Silence. The others turned- some with confusion, others with small, hidden smiles on their faces as Ka coloured with shock. The ninja sputtered mutely at the suggestion, before ultimately giving a shout and stooping down into a seat immediately.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"KA! KakakakakkaaaAA! How appropriate then..! Having me break into a palace-ka! As big as this is, just this once I'll follow your lead -ka!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The plans began immediately, and as the other tanuki joined in, the fact that they could remotely fail never once crossed their minds.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0086"><h2>86. Chapter 86</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>[EARTH'S MOON]</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was no life left in the body before him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had felt it- <em>felt</em> it leave, the energy fading like a flame blown out from a candle, snuffed in the blink of an eye so quickly that he couldn't even flinch from the shock. Mizael could only stare. Stare with wide eyes as they overflowed with water, as the tears poured down his cheeks, and as his heart filled with rage.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And as the fires of rage were then drowned out with those same tears, coating that heart in cold despair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had no target. Not directly after all, not one that he could name. If he wanted to think of anything to focus upon it would be the very Barians he'd known but he knew for a fact that if they were like him it was not their fault. Perhaps Vector, maybe. He in particular seemed so distant to their cause despite how driven he had been toward it, and he in particular had been impossible to locate ever since those rapid hunts to the ruins. Ever since Gilag and Alit had awoken seeming a few shades off from themselves. Ever since Durbe began to speak of the mysteries of the ruins they'd seen, of the twins...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'Follow the path you believe in', Kaito had said, but as Mizael fell to his knees and wept, he felt his will break and fade. What path could there be? What path was there, now that all the roads he had known were gone? The proud dragon master had now lost that pride, he could not help but think, and it was bitter comfort that there was none there to see. Kaito was gone- dead and gone, and his body sat before him to gather the cold iceless emptiness of the void of space around them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He did not know how long he sat there. He did not have to breathe, and though he felt the cold creeping in, he did not feel it enough to care. Kaito's body did not change, the suit sitting there in the seemingly unchanging light of the distant sun.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He could not stay here forever.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He could not stay here forever, he reminded himself, choking out a sob once again. He could not-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'<em>Mizael</em>,' he thought he heard an old voice say, and with a snap, he lifted his head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was no dragon there. There was no one around to be seen.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yet in his heart he heard the voice again, soft, gentle, with the touch of a feathered wing against his shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'<em>He is not the only one who must mourn</em>.'</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What was it that Kaito had said, he thought with a shuddering breath, his eyes lowering sadly to the body yet again. What was it he had said, in their final moments? '<em>I couldn't let him see</em>', he had said. But who was 'him'? Who was the one that Kaito spoke of?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His mind churned, and his thoughts wound backward. Farther into what Kaito had told him, farther still, there was something important, <em>something there</em>. Something from when he spoke to him of dragons. To when he spoke of dragon masters, of who between them was-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kaito had never considered himself a true master.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had considered himself someone who happened to use the dragons as a tool, for the sake of...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His brother.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Of course. After all, how else could someone with as much pride be ensnared he thought, staring to the body before him. However long ago, and he would have scoffed at the idea. He would have laughed at such a weakness- no, perhaps even been enraged by it, given who it would have been expressing that. Now however...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now, he gently slipped his arms under the body and lifted it from the ground. Now, he scanned the area one last time with his eyes, making certain that not even a single card was lost. Now...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The trip to the earth was slow. So terribly slow, and yet he could not afford to move quickly. If he did so, he could damage the body- damage the suit and what was within.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He owed them that much he thought, as he made his way from the moon to the planet below. He owed them the right to mourn.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mizael closed his eyes and flew, and allowed the tears to flow freely off his face into the void around him- globules of water hovering and moving only by the force of the motions he was making, left behind and soon impossible to see. He flew forward with precious cargo in his arms, and through it all he could not help but feel that while a crushing, endless weight had been removed from his shoulders, the one now in his arms was forever worse.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever retribution he received in return for carrying it to the rightful grave, he deserved.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0087"><h2>87. Chapter 87</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The plan was put in motion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>'<em>I wonder what all those eyes have to do with everything,</em>' she had asked when she went to sleep again later on, the room empty save for herself, Koushi, Iris, and Ka.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span><em>'Eyes?</em>' Koushi had asked, and so the others had explained- if at least vaguely. While they knew he was no one with any connection to those within the realm, it could complicate matters after all.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So they told him of the people under the control of the eyes- of how in Cor Ignis it had simply been those bearing the mark upon hoods. Of how that same eye locked a Barian Lord to their throne, stared out from the gut of a monster turned god turned 'nothing' by the final blows of death. Of how it stared out from that tower, locking a palace in place, and as such left a burning and trembling thought behind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If the lands reflected the lords, what did it mean if the very palace of one was imprisoned?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The plan was put into motion, and carefully, blindfolds were set upon Yuuma's eyes. She held Iris' hand tightly, and Koushi followed behind, the group flanked by all but one of the tanuki. They were to be led by Akashiro- the tanuki shouldering his great gourd and walking steadily onward as they slowly made their way through the maze that was the city.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If Yuuma could not see, they reasoned, they had that much more time to avoid the 'Eye'. It seemed to be working as well- thus far, not a single panicked 'run' had been uttered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It left her free to think however- conversation was quiet and hushed for their safety, and with nothing to look at, she felt numbly guided along as she sank deeper and deeper into her worries and theories. 'The Lands Reflect The Lords' echoed in her mind- the way that Mizael's had simply sank, and the way that Cor Ignis bustled with so much happiness and life simply from the personal touch of Alit's own hand.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Without thinking, she spoke her question aloud. "...Was this place...ever happy?" she found herself saying, the tanuki nearly stopping in their tracks. It was the goggled tanuki who spoke- adjusting the lenses as he glanced toward their goal, Oware hummed a little in thought.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...I can't speak for everywhere in the Pine Lands -pon," he admitted after a bit. "And as tanuki, we've always been on the run somehow -pon."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But we've watched the people at least, ponpoko." Kozou sighed, and scratched at his neck. "...Before the Pine Lord left here, it was mixed; on the one hand, there would be times where they would act as if anyone around them planned to kill them ponpoko. But on the other, they were really close to the world around them. There's probably still a few farms out there ponpoko- but once the city grew in this way, tracking that got tricky."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"When the city first began growing -da pon, it seemed to move with 'will'. People who were most affected were those who gained businesses or buildings, or even galleries -da pon."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Galleries?" Yuuma questioned, blinking slowly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's right -poko. A lot of barians who wanted to show off art...or barians who wanted to create beautiful arrangements of flowers, those sorts of things -poko..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It seemed that anyone who wanted to do something could suddenly do it, -po pon..." Uchiwata's voice seemed distant somehow, as they carried on. "If they wanted to sing before, they could sing. If they wanted to play games before, they could just play games. Everyone, for a little bit, seemed so free -po pon..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Only now did their guide at the front speak, and the words nearly stopped them with their bluntness. "There would always have been a catch, poko-pon. I knew eventually it would happen."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That..." Yuuma couldn't help herself. She balled her fists, and shouted forward. "You think that just because people were able to do the things they dreamed of, that that's why this happened!?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"They outgrew themselves poko-pon. And now the world is taking back..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And what about people like you then..!?" she demanded, receiving no answer for a bit. Ultimately, it seemed as if Akashiro didn't even have one- he merely sighed, and carried on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"This way now- we're almost at the point where we'll be able to cross poko-pon."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma tensed, but a squeeze over her hand kept her from speaking against the other. Quietly, Iris whispered- "It isn't worth it. I recognize his type- he's not unlike the ones from my village...he's determined to believe it's 'fate', and not something to be fought..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thanks to the blindfold, Yuuma couldn't see how Ka and Koushi both paused and stared at the two when Iris said this- she couldn't see how Ka seemed to study them both, nor how Koushi appeared to take the words in contemplation, closing his eyes and bringing new thoughts to mind for himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All she could do was nod, quietly moving onward.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hold-" Bunbuku abruptly called out, the group stopping with a sharp halt. "...Tea kettle form, now -dapon!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Pon!" "Poko-pon!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A series of soft cracks met the air, and Yuuma found herself tugged down and curled up. Otherwise however, nothing seemed to happen- they were simply quiet. Deathly quiet, waiting for something to happen.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi was the one to explain, once they stood again. "...The tanuki shapeshifted somehow," he explained, sounding somewhat irked or even confused by the idea. "...They covered us with something, while a drone flew over."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A drone?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's what they called it," Iris confirmed. "It looked a bit like a round buzzing thing...regardless it had an eye on it, and apparently the others didn't like the looks of it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I think we were made to look like another rooftop," Koushi offered, only slightly sure of himself. "But I don't know... We-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hold -poko!" came Jubako's cry, and quickly, the process repeated. It happened thrice more as they walked- each within moments of each other, the group's quick progress suddenly moving at a crawl.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was frustrating, even if they had yet to be caught. "The damn thing is getting impatient poko-pon!" Akashiro grumbled, hissing as they walked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thing?" Iris asked as Yuuma scratched her blindfold, careful not to loosen the thing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's right, 'thing'- unless you have a better word for that 'BaraMe' group. Mark my words poko-pon, there's something at its core. Some kind of being that's pulled this place, and its lord in its grasp."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma stiffened, her head snapping up. "Its lord- you mean because of the palace..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akashiro did not answer, and for a moment Yuuma thought she heard Iris give a frustrated cough beside her. No one asked anything more however, as they were quickly made to hide for a few moments again before moving on. Time was moving at a crawl now- though they were so close, it felt as if they were back where they had started, carefully moving roof to roof until the tower could be in view.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Finally however, she could feel someone untying the blindfold. "Ah-"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hold still -poko...now that we're this close, and facing the side you're entering from, that thing's eye won't see you..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm. I'm interested to hear what your thoughts on 'it' are," Iris muttered, crossing her arms as Koushi did the same. Ka, for the moment, was farther out- handling some sort of cable with Akashiro and a number of the other tanuki. "Your companion is far from helpful in that regard."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Akashiro?" Jubako blinked, and grimaced. "He's... ...He's older I guess, -poko. Kasasashi is even older, but..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is the whole building really its own thing?" Yuuma asked, Koushi nodding.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"The way he spoke of it, it sounded more like an organism than a company building. With how the city acts, it may well be, isn't that right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jubako seemed somewhat nervous, but even so the tanuki nodded. "...when that building first appeared, things didn't change right away after all -poko. It was almost normal even, -poko."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's still pretty normal for some, po pon." Uchiwata came near them as well, glancing to Jubako in particular for a moment. "They're setting up for the way in- po pon. It'll be a little, so Akashiro wanted me over here in case we needed to hide them."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah, right -poko..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Uchiwata looked back to the non-tanuki and continued on. "For a lot of the barians here, I think it's still like that -po pon. They're all doing things that keep the city going- making things, doing things..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Coming near, Oware took a seat to join them as well- three for three if protection were necessary, in that way. "...They're still contributing -pon. As long as they're contributing, whatever is at the core of that Rose Eye doesn't care. If that's not the case though..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We see plenty of barians come and go from that place -poko, but sometimes..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sometimes -po pon, they come out different..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akashiro waved from where he sat with the others, and the three tanuki among them exchanged nervous looks. Finally, all of them pulled them into hugs of some kind- Iris looking rather alarmed, Yuuma seeming more worried, and Koushi, for his part, seeming utterly mortified. Each hug was released, and all three seemed to be fighting the urge to shed tears.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...Make sure you're not one of those, okay -pon?" Oware sniffed, cheeks practically puffed as he held back tears.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jubako nodded. "E..even though we haven't known each other that long -poko..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't know...there's just something about you guys -po pon...we're going to miss you, okay?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Y...you guys..." Yuuma stared, as did the others. Ultimately however she simply beamed, grinning. "...Don't worry about a thing- we're going to kattobing, and get out of here..! And you guys should do the same thing too okay? 'Kattobing'! Hang in there..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"K..."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Kattobing...-pon..?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beside them, Koushi frowned, apparently just as baffled about the word. Yuuma paid them no mind however, looking toward the others as Ka started stomping over.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you guys deaf -ka..!? We're ready!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"R-Right..!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The time for farewells with the tanuki were over.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was time to enter the building now.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0088"><h2>88. Chapter 88</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Alright -pon poko. It looks like the coast is clear enough to go."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Akashiro, despite being 'ready', had been standing still while they all hid beneath the others for a number of moments now. He had at his side the gourd- transformed somehow, with what almost looked like a spear poking out of the end- aimed carefully toward the tower.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"See that window? ...Well, more of them are like that now, but this is how we got in before -pon poko. It's the only spot in the building that doesn't seem to be 'charged' with something. Sometimes it comes back on -pon poko, but most of the time..." The tanuki trailed off, looking to the group. "All of you should be good to rope climb, right -pon poko? Good," he said, not waiting for an answer. "Because there's only so much time- no one will look up -pon poko, so you'll be fine once I launch. And once it's hooked in, get going right away -pon poko! Got it? You need to get there before it goes 'rose' again!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not wanting to argue, or question anything, all of them nodded. It was perhaps impressive that even Koushi did just that- while the barian had, apparently, been a recent adult in his life, it was still something else to be immediately at home with the idea of moving hand over hand along a rope to another building. Perhaps it was the lack of options- if they didn't go now, they wouldn't be able to go at all. It would only be a matter of time from there, before they were caught.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The other tanuki lost form, gathering around the group. Their goodbyes were simple- a chorus of 'pons' and 'good luck's, accented by the sound of the harpoon-like rope being launched from Akashiro's gourd toward the window.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was the only dark spot in the entire thing- not 'black', as the seeming pupil of the great eye on the other side of the building, but simply dark. As if the window was opened, or as if the wall had simply come down. Yuuma couldn't be sure how many more than the tanuki's last trip there were, but it definitely looked like a sizable hole- from here at the least, it seemed as big as a bus garage.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Out of the entire building, it was but a small spot marring an otherwise beautiful surface.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Iris was going first. Kaito had moved to go next, already moving hand over hand. Sanda, perhaps amusingly, was going third. Ka meanwhile was instead flitting forward between the roof and the hole- taking the luggage in trips, a mere blur of speed each time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thus, it was her turn.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hand over hand, the trip felt easy- it was no more difficult than many other things she'd done in the last year, and if anything she couldn't help but think that bringing Orbital over the duel field in 'glider form' was more nerve wracking. Not that she'd felt that way then (or even now, she supposed), but if she thought about it now, it seemed worse then than this was.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma looked down.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment it felt like being home. Still moving hand over hand, looking down felt like looking over the city from the tallest point of the Duel Lodge stairs, like looking down upon streets and roads with painted lines, business towers and apartment complexes with storefronts and sidewalks and tall street lamps. The only difference, she determined, was the inhabitants- akin to monsters and spirits, more than people, in the aesthetic sense.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yuuma found herself understanding what had upset Ka so much when they first saw the TV in Maremana's cafe. The invasion of technology hadn't seemed strange then, but here it seemed more like a cancer than something welcome. Perhaps once it had been- perhaps once, as the curiosity it was for the associated barian lord, it had been an accent to the land in the way it felt in Cor Ignis.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Somehow instead it felt as if it were all a cover- a block of paint hiding what was underneath, covering the eyes and pointing attention to something false. A distraction, an enforcement, even- something that existed because it was there, rather than because it was 'real'.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even her own thoughts didn't make sense, but they came anyway. There was just something odd about it all, about how much like home this place was. It felt more like someone hiding in what they had enjoyed about another place, than someone genuinely wanting to be in that place.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were passing through the hole now, one after the other. Ka had not flown back out yet, which told Yuuma that she had probably gotten everything inside. Passing through the 'window' at last, Yuuma found herself looking to the sides and around as she went by- the 'glass' was if anything a field of energy, constantly active and even humming. If she focused on it too much, she began to feel tired- it was enough to force her to look away and push onward. The building itself was a few meters behind it, and unlike the energy field and its webbing, it was almost wooden in appearance. Rails and frames of stone moved up along the sides, and occasionally across as extra support- marble, smooth and near jet in colour, filled the spaces between the wood. Beautiful, and hidden, and more curiously she noted, walled off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was only the space they were coming into now- the space through which the harpoon had moved and pierced into the ceiling, that was entirely open, as if it were a balcony to be enjoyed and looked out from. There were no railings for safety here however- Yuuma fell upon stone floor, sectioned akin to planks of wood, and shining beneath warm orange lanterns that lined the beams and 'pillars' of wood-like stone. Looking behind her, it felt as if a room had been cut in half to create the hole they came into, sunlight streaking faintly in through the 'window'. A few moments later, and after stepping back, the harpoon was pulled back. The rope reeled in with such speed and force it was as if time moved backward to when it was fired.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were alone in the castle now, its halls wide, its rooms vast.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There would be no going back from here.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0089"><h2>89. Chapter 89</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"So this is Gilag's palace then..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuma wandered only a few steps forward, turning her head about with somewhat wide eyes. "It's definitely as big as Alit's but..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While Sanda didn't react to the mention of another barian lord, Koushi, oddly, did- though his question perhaps cleared up why. "...Alit? Who is that?" he asked, sounding almost uncertain of the question.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"He's the barian lord overseeing the Red Lands," Iris explained calmly, looking around as well. "...I can see what Yuuma's getting to though...both of us- Ka as well- we were briefly at Alit's palace, and it was much more 'welcoming' than this..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ka- not quite reacting to her name and instead carrying along the conversation from where she was handling the luggage, looked around them with suspicious eyes. "Normally I would say it's probably because of this 'Rose Eye' nonsense-ka, but if anything this is because of how cut off it is...-ka! So this is what they meant by 'paranoid'..!" she huffed, Yuuma frowning at the ground in thought. It wasn't<em> hard</em> to think of Gilag as paranoid perhaps, but at the same time it <em>was</em> somehow. There had been times, after all, where he had been genuinely friendly- and perhaps to that end, the first encounter within his associated capital was a friendly one. It was jarring even, how fast things had moved from cheerful to dangerous and back again. Things had seemed to move between those moods back home of course- the duels during the WDC were testament to that- but this was just a bit different. Just a bit...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Worse, she ultimately decided. Lost in thought, she was pulled from the fog by the sound of Ka's wings- buzzing out a sprain as she grumbled something about clipping the side coming in the final run. "...at least I won't need to fly much for a while -ka..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ah- But we're just going to the roof of this place aren't we?" Yuuma asked, blinking. "...When we were planning everything, you said you'd have to fly right..?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the girl looked to Sanda to confirm, the tanuki-barian nodded. "...<span class="u">I can carry two,</span>" he almost apologetically answered. "...<span class="u">at least if I'm taking your things too</span>..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ka! And it'll be fine by the time we get there, trust me-ka," Ka insisted with a snort. "But that's when we get to the roof -ka...and I'm not about to have us blindly running around the place that's chasing us out of here, kakakakaka..!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iris picked up on what the ninja was talking about quickly, as did Koushi. The latter in fact, voiced as much. "We're in enemy territory technically," he noted, resting a hand on his hip as he looked to her. "...with that in mind, it's like we've set up a camp within their blindspot if anything."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Exactly -ka. I'm going to scout ahead to see what's going on with this place. If Cor Ignis is any sign -ka, I've apparently got some kind of...built up resistance..." she muttered, not quite meeting the other's gazes as she made note of it, "...so I should be fine if anything comes up. As it is-"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'll be coming with you as backup to be safe," Iris determined, the mosquito choking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"KA-! What-!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, you weren't thinking of going alone right?" Iris cheered, her odd smile back in place as Koushi stared. "I mean...that would just be foolish~! How would any of us know if something happened~?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"That's-! Ka-!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Mnnhhh...if you do that mote thing, it'd be really easy to come back and say what's  going on huh..." Yuuma noted, Ka simply groaning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If Yuuma was catching a point after all, there was no use in arguing pathetically against it. Iris smiled, an almost irritatingly 'innocent' expression considering the conspiratory thinking behind it. "I'm sure between the two of us we'll be able to cover plenty of ground without being caught. Now..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Not quite ready to hand over the crown of 'team leader' yet, Ka quickly interrupted. "It shouldn't take us long, but in the meantime you lot may as well set things up for Yuuma -ka. This place won't have anywhere for all of her business-"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"O-Oii!!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Business..?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"D-Don't even ask, Koushi..!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ka snorted. "...But there should be a good spot for cooking at the least -ka, and possibly somewhere for sleep. There was something like that at the Red Lord's, there'll be something here -ka."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Understanding the instruction without anything more being said, Sanda nodded. "<span class="u">We'll set up 'base' then. Safe scouting, -pon.</span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iris beamed. "Thank you, Sanda..~ And good luck to you three alright- I have a feeling you'll be done before we get back, so you're going to need it to keep from getting too bored..." she hummed, the others mostly staring blankly as Yuuma pouted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ka! Let's just get going," Ka scoffed, already turning to move through the vast room/hall. Somewhere near to the middle seemed to be a room at least, which would undoubtedly be where Yuuma and the others went, but if there was a staircase out of the place, it would probably be on the 'exterior' of the palace. "Don't lag behind -ka!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Of course not..~" Iris cast one last look around, adjusting her hood. "What a strange palace though...so open..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She had disappeared by the time anyone remarked on that- "...it's nice and simple. More things should be like that," Koushi hummed- leaving the trio to their business.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Or at least, leaving them to stand there a while before deciding how to go about it. "...So...should we carry everything while we look, or..?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"<span class="u">I think I know the layout -da pon. Just follow me.</span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At least they wouldn't get lost then.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0090"><h2>90. Chapter 90</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Koushi had been correct, and yet not, about the palace that belonged to Gilag. Indeed, much of it was simple- plain and undecorated, with open halls and floors that were walled off where one would have expected screens opening to the outside, or at the very least, windows. Yuuma suspected it was because they were inside a building within a building- there wouldn't really be much to look at.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Koushi simply recalled what had been said about the 'tunnels' that once led to the palace. Had the place been underground once? Perhaps so. There wouldn't have been any use for windows at all, in that case.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sanda, naturally, said nothing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As they walked through the palace there were a number of small things, small remarks from Yuuma, answered to from Koushi alone. Most of his interjections were hesitant of course- for matters that he already barely remembered, it was natural to wonder how much of it was true. Yuuma wondered if it would have looked a little like this within Himeiji Castle, or similar- Koushi determined that it was likely, at least if Gilag's past life had been Japanese. Yuuma wondered, as they moved up a staircase, if there would be any food kept there already. Koushi thought that there perhaps could be, but genuinely hoped otherwise in case barian foods went bad at all. There were all sorts of questions and ponderings and ideas, even after they successfully located the kitchen and then a bedroom to set 'camp'. Business, they awkwardly determined, would have to be done using a bucket- with the hope that one of them could incinerate the vessel before they left for good.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they came to the final floor of the 'palace' itself- and how must this look from the building surrounding it, they had to wonder, given that Ka and Iris had exited into it from a much lower spot- Yuuma voiced her final 'observation' on the place with wide and curious eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hehhh...this must be the 'throne room' then..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Koushi crossed his arms, examining the blank screen. "Behind it, probably. Did you see a throne in Alit's palace?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shook her head. "Mnh, nope. But I didn't really look at too many of the rooms either- mostly I saw the arena, and the rooms that Scyllis and Charyb were using."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I see..." It was uncertain if Koushi properly understood. As it were, the small barian looked around Yuuma to where Sanda was simply staring at the screen. "...Something the matter?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sanda was quiet, though admittedly not for long. "...<span class="u">This is where I was found, -pon</span>."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"HEH!? Found!? You mean you were in here to start with!?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The tanuki nodded. They hadn't been there when Kasasashi explained things to Ka and Iris after all- none of them had in fact, and it would no doubt be an interesting if not awkward moment later when they traded what they knew. For now however, he hesitantly reached out toward the screen, not yet opening it. "<span class="u">I was told -pon, that when the others reached this part, they had assumed the Pine Lord was behind this screen. His shadow was perfectly seen, cast on the paper -da pon...but when they opened the screen,</span>" he continued, slowly opening the door to the room, "<span class="u">It was me instead -da pon</span>."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...You?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Yuuma could ask more precisely on what he meant, Koushi turned from the opened room to the tanuki beside them. The room itself was perhaps as expected- relatively sparse, with woven glass tatami, there was a large long rug from the entrance to the end of the room. From the ceiling could be seen vibrant green hangings- short, decorative, but no less marvelous, casting light all through the room from the strange bulb-shaped lanterns at the sides. They seemed almost like plants- crystals of light sitting at their centers, shining through the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And at the far end, the 'throne'- a raised platform within what could almost be called a gilded cage, with curtains for 'walls' and the two at the front pulled back. It was practically a small temple of its own- with a simple chair within, upon which one would expect the king to sit. "Your shadow, was it? ...I haven't seen him before, but I have the feeling that can't be right," Koushi determined, walking toward the throne now. "And you don't remember why you were here? How strange."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"A tanuki in Gilag's..." Yuuma stared- and it seemed to her that Sanda as well was staring back. For a moment both were silent. Each waiting for the other to speak. Then, just as it seemed Sanda was about too- "Then... ...are..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Are you a Duel Monster card..!?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Silence. Almost comical silence resulted, as the tanuki appeared to jolt in alarm. "....<span class="u">A</span>...<span class="u">A card, -pon!?</span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Right! Sanda...It must be short for Sandayu..! Am I right?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"<span class="u">Well</span>...<span class="u">maybe, -pon</span>..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Maybe?" Koushi asked, turning from the throne.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sanda nodded. "<span class="u">The truth is, I can't remember -da pon</span>. ...<span class="u">Sometimes it feels as if I'm not even completely here</span>...<span class="u">when I woke up to the others -pon, it was more like I was dreaming. Like there was a big fog -da pon</span>."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"The whole time..?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yet another nod, and the tanuki walked toward the throne. "...<span class="u">I feel</span>...<span class="u">more like that here -pon. I'm here, but I'm somewhere dark at the same time -da pon. I know nothing, but at the same time</span>..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hm. Sounds a bit like how I've been feeling since I woke up," Koushi observed casually, the signs of a smirk somewhat visible in his eyes. "Given where we are, and who I've been near, you must have known the Pine Lord in another life then."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Gilag?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...<span class="u">I don't think I would have just woken up here -da pon</span>..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Did the tanuki fall from the sky like Koushi did then?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Koushi choked. "Is that how I came here!?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah! You fell into me like a comet!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"A comet!?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sanda watched the two for a moment, pondering the question in the meantime. "...<span class="u">I don't know -pon. I never asked.</span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was just the distraction necessary. "There we are then. There might be another reason you appeared here of course...but at the very least, it could be just as simple as that."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It could be. It could...but Yuuma couldn't help but think about the matters of shadows cast upon screens, and the Tanuki who spoke of them. Staring at the throne, she tried to distract herself. "...I wonder if you knew him as Gilag, or as 'Kiraku' then..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...<span class="u">Kiraku</span>...<span class="u">-da pon?</span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ah- ...Yeah, that was what he was called in his past life!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Kiraku? ...That makes sense I suppose, that he was Japanese..." Koushi muttered, looking around. "I had been thinking, that with just a few rooms missing, this is almost identical to the layout a palace from the Sengoku period."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hehhhh...you know that much Koushi..?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Koushi shrugged. "...I was probably Japanese at least. Learning history in classes isn't unusual, and we know that I'm 18," he explained calmly, Yuuma merely staring. "What confuses me more is the state of the city itself- you and the others spoke of it not just as growing, but being more like 'the living world'. I won't deny that things seem familiar, but now that I've seen the inside of this palace I can't help but wonder what you meant by that. This, too, is like the 'living world', wouldn't you say?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Mnnnh. I guess so," Yuuma replied with a nod. "I think when they say that they mean the time though...everywhere else looks more like stuff from history! So they probably expected everything to look more like this palace! Instead it's got stuff like TV, and music, and..." She trailed off, looking to the ground. "...and... ...I wish I could tell why. ...When I first woke up here...when I first found out that I could leave if I talked to one of the Barian Lords probably, I thought about Gilag- but I decided he wouldn't help if I asked. I knew Alit more. I dueled with Alit more. Gilag..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...<span class="u">You knew someone 'more' than him, -da pon?</span>" Sanda asked, Yuuma slowly nodding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...I see." Koushi closed his eyes, and with crossed arms, leaned back against the wall. "...You knew Gilag, enough to have thought of him when you needed help. More than just a name, you knew him as a friend at one point."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Another sad, slow nod, Yuuma unable to look up. "...At home... ...With Alit, it was like he was a whole other person, when we dueled last. ...With Gilag, he seemed the same, even when he fought against me with everything he had. Even though he was different, he didn't <em>act</em> different. He..." She looked up- finding the words was hard, but the more she looked for them, the more she could say. "I don't get it. The people we met so far here talked about how nice the city was- and even Akashiro outside said that there was a time where it was like that, even for Tanuki. Ka and Iris... ...they said that the way each of these places is, it's because of the one who's in charge of them, right? ...Which means that the way this city is, the way the whole country is, it's supposed to be because of the kind of person Gilag is too."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The other two stared, largely unsure of what to say. They didn't know who Gilag was after all. They didn't even know who Kiraku was, even if the name was slightly more familiar to one of them. Ultimately the shortest of them found it in himself to speak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...Tell us about him then," he requested, looking calmly to Yuuma. "Don't think about it in terms of this city, or this world. Tell us about the person you knew."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...Just like that?" Yuuma asked, Sanda soon joining in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...<span class="u">It might help, -da pon. Help you I mean- it sounds like you miss him in the way you knew him -pon.</span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded. "...A little..." Sitting down on the floor, and leaning back on her hands, Yuuma frowned. "...Gilag...even though I didn't know him like I knew Alit, he was at my school longer after all. He started showing up in Shark's year, around when people started using- ...Oh," she realized, the others blinking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...<span class="u">Oh?</span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuma laughed a bit nervously. "I just...realized something, that's all... ...Anyway, I guess this explains all the guys I had to duel before fighting the barians themselves..? First there was someone in charge of a gang leader...then there was a pro duelist who visited the school, and then the student council leader, and..." Something occurred to her at that moment, and she looked at the ceiling. "...I wonder, if maybe... ...he started having fun then..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The others again paused and blinked. "...What do you mean?" Koushi asked, tail flicking somewhat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Aaaaah...w...well, after that, the only people who dueled because of him probably, were four people! Two were in a tag duel! ...actually," she laughed, "...Gilag even set that one up, but had to duel with me? I don't think he meant for it, but somehow it worked out..." In hindsight, a lot of that made sense now. Originally, she was supposed to draw things out and even lose, so as to help Kotori and Cathy get along better. Gilag hadn't originally been paired with her, but Shark had...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...well, she didn't know why Gilag was so nervous still, since it wasn't as if they could have taken his number, but maybe he didn't know that at the time? He probably hadn't seen her duel Alit...and even when she fought Alit as a barian, it was Astral he was worried about...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...Well, maybe Gilag was just like that. She pushed the thought away for now. "Mmm, the other two though...there was a manga artist, and then someone who did flower arranging... ...I thought that kind of thing was sort of boring, but I guess girls are supposed to like it a little..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"<span class="u">You haven't done that before -pon?</span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hahh? Of course not, I-!" Yuuma blinked, remembering where they were, and what that meant. "...oh yeah. Uh... ...I guess...people at home didn't really know I was a girl, so..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You didn't just tell them?" Koushi questioned, blinking. "...Obviously something here is keeping that from being a problem, but why wouldn't you say it?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To that, Yuuma found herself without words for a moment. She leaned back so far she wound up simply laying on the floor, staring at the ceiling. "...I guess... ...I thought it was weird. ...I guess... ...I mean, I didn't think anyone was going to be mad about it. But I didn't even know it for sure myself, I think. I just thought about it a lot, and wondered about it a lot... ...And I guess here I am now, but I still didn't know until I got here!" she laughed, eyes shut with the thought and memory both. "...I almost knew, but not really."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"<span class="u">So that's why, -da pon</span>..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yup. So I've never really done flower arranging stuff, or had to...I guess Gilag must like it enough to try it though, since he got someone in charge of that club to duel for him!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It sounds like Gilag prefers to have someone duel for him over all," Koushi remarked, Sanda nodding in agreement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"<span class="u">Somehow</span>...<span class="u">it sounds just like him, -da pon</span>..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Heheheee...it is too..! He was like that as Kiraku too! He made friends with a tanuki, and then the tanuki went and fought in wars pretending to be him!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Koushi choked. "Even then..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah! The only time he didn't was-"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...<span class="u">When he died, -pon.</span>" The others turned immediately, and Sanda blinked- staring back to the others, but otherwise not reacting. "...<span class="u">I don't know how I know that, but it seems right, -pon.</span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a bit of silence, Yuuma nodded. She had sat up when Sanda spoke before, and now, she leaned forward in her seat. "...Yeah. ...Gilag said... ...it was because he knew they were going to lose. So he told them their deal was over, to make them leave... ...Apparently people were mad at them, so they had already turned on him..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"A people turned upon itself..." Humming, Koushi nodded. "...So that's why this place is such a mess." As the others stared, Koushi went on. "Even with what little I saw, it's obviously going between two ideals. Part of the city seems almost like a utopia. I could see people trading in peace, enjoying different hobbies and crafts. There was plenty of art, and plants being cared for too- most likely because of those interests you mentioned," Koushi remarked. "...But then the other part..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sanda realized where Koushi was going with the matter, and carried it on for him. "<span class="u">It's as if the city itself 'hallucinates'-pon. You'll see things in the shadows, things that shouldn't exist. The city seems to react to that too -pon. It's why it's better to walk on the roof-tops, where walls are less likely to come up and block you -da pon.</span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something was bugging Yuuma now, even if she didn't seem quite so bothered while leaning forward on her elbows. "....what about the way the city normally grows then?" she wondered, looking toward the throne. "...The old guy near the tunnel from Cor Ignis said he got new rooms on his store without expecting it...and on the TV, there were people who just suddenly ended up in studios and things..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hmn." Koushi listened with interest, thoughts rolling through his head. "...So the city provided for hobbies and desires then..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"<span class="u">More or less, that's what I'm told -pon.</span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...Hah. "...I guess...even though Gilag was scared and nervous about a lot of stuff...even though he<em> is</em>, I guess," she added with a small smile, "...It's because he still cares a lot too then..." The other two said nothing, though they did seem to stare a little again. Ultimately, it seemed at least that the thought was sitting well with her now. "He liked the stuff in the human world, so all of it started coming here... ...it makes sense now..!" she laughed, grinning. "...The reason all of this came before...was because it was the kind of stuff he'd want to share with everyone else too!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...Hmm." She felt certain that Koushi was smiling at those words- the barian still leaning against that wall, arms crossed as he looked over the others.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sanda as well, she was certain was smiling despite his mask- the tanuki's eyes glimmering with light, a quiet 'pon!' meeting the air. Except...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...<span class="u">it's a shame then, -pon</span>..." Yuuma's smile fell, and Sanda looked down. "...<span class="u">this 'BaraMe' thing took complete advantage of it, -da pon</span>..."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuma couldn't deny that. She couldn't deny even an ounce of it, only able to think back to when she had dueled Gilag at the Duel Lodge, and how seamlessly he'd moved from being so believably 'Kiraku Souhachi', friend of Ponta, willing to help...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...to the Lord of the Pine Lands, stubbornly claiming it had all been nothing but lies as he devoured his friend's spirit and vanished to his home realm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yuuma couldn't deny it, and found herself only able to nod.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a while, they slowly made their way back down to the room they chose for 'camping', the throne room left open, bare, and utterly quiet.</span>
</p>
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